Biofuels: Promise or Threat?
By Rachel Smolker and Brian Tokar
In the coming weeks, the Obama administration is expected to release its plans to address the dual problems of global climate disruption and excessive dependence on foreign oil. Meanwhile, in the background, the debate among environmentalists over biofuels and their contribution to future energy needs continues to intensify. Many mainstream greens actively support biofuels as a central element in an anticipated future mix of energy sources, but voices from the global South are often far more critical. They insist that fuels such as biodiesel, bioethanol and proposed “second generation” fuels be termed “agrofuels,” viewing their widespread use as a potential boon for global agribusiness corporations, with potentially devastating consequences for land-based peoples. This view is now gaining widespread support from groups in the US and Europe.
Last week, the Sierra Club and Worldwatch Institute attempted to sidestep these concerns with their new report, titled “Smart Choices for Biofuels”. They appear to have never even asked the more fundamental question “Are Biofuels a Smart Choice?” To this question, a growing number of environmental and human rights organizations are responding with a clear and resounding “no.”
ʻO kahi leka hou i hoʻokumu ʻia e ʻumikūmākahi hui kīwila ma US e hōʻike ana i ka ulu wikiwiki ʻana o nā palapala e hōʻike ana i ka piʻi ʻana o ka biofuels/agrofuels i ka hoʻololi ʻana i ke aniau, ka hoʻoneʻe ʻana i ka ululāʻau, ka hoʻoneʻe ʻana i nā mahiʻai liʻiliʻi kuaʻāina a me nā poʻe ʻōiwi, ka hoʻopau ʻana i ka ʻāina a me nā kumu wai a me nā mea hou aku. Ma muli o ka pono koʻikoʻi e mālama a hoʻihoʻi i nā kaiaola, ʻike maikaʻi ʻia ka puhi ʻana i nā mea kanu no ka wahie ma ke ʻano he ala i ka pōʻino. ʻOiai ʻo ka hōʻike "Smart Choices", e like me ka hoʻokele Obama, e ʻōlelo ana e hoʻoponopono nā "biofuels holomua" a me nā kūlana hoʻomau i nā pilikia, ʻaʻohe ala e hiki ai i ka honua ke kākoʻo maoli i kahi koi nui a piʻi mau no ka biomass mea kanu. ʻO ka hōʻemi nui ʻana o ka pono o ke kaiāulu no nā wahie wai he hana mua koʻikoʻi, ma o nā ana e like me ka lawe ʻana i ka lehulehu, ka pono o ka ikehu, a me ka hōʻemi a me ka hoʻoneʻe ʻana o ka hana a me ka hoʻohana ʻana.
ʻO ka kikokikona o kēia, ʻoi aku koʻikoʻi, ka leka ma agrofuels e hāʻawi i kahi ʻike i kahi ʻike ʻoi aku ka ʻoiaʻiʻo o kēia pukana ma mua o ka hāʻawi ʻia e ka Sierra Club/Worldwatch hōʻike:
As a diverse alliance of organizations concerned with climate change, agriculture and food policy, human rights and indigenous peoples rights and biodiversity protection, we (Global Justice Ecology Project, Institute for Social Ecology, Heartwood, Energy Justice Network, Grassroots International, Food First, Native Forest Council, Family Farm Defenders, ETC Group, Dogwood Alliance, Rainforest Action Network) issue this open letter in opposition to agrofuels (large scale industrial biofuels).
We strongly oppose the rapid and destructive expansion of agrofuels; the large-scale industrial production of transport fuels and other energy from plants (corn, sugar cane, oilseeds, trees, grasses, waste etc.). Agrofuels are a false solution and a dangerous distraction and they must be halted.
ʻO Agrofuels kahi "hoʻoponopono wahaheʻe":
Nui nā leo koʻikoʻi ma ʻAmelika Hui Pū ʻIa, ʻo ia hoʻi ʻo Pelekikena-koho ʻo Obama, ua hōʻike i ke kākoʻo no ka hana nui o nā agrofuels ma ke ʻano he kumu nui no ka hoʻoponopono ʻana i nā pilikia o ka hoʻolako ʻana i ka ikehu a me ka hoʻomehana honua. Ke hōʻike nei ka ulu ʻana o nā hōʻike ʻepekema, he kuhi hewa hewa kēia a ʻo ka hoʻomau ʻana i ka agrofuels e ʻoi aku ka koʻikoʻi ma mua o ka hoʻoponopono ʻana i nā hopena he nui a weliweli o ke aniau, ikehu, meaʻai, hoʻokele waiwai a me nā pilikia kaiaola a mākou e alo nei. E like me nā ʻenehana a me nā mea hana ʻino ʻē aʻe e hoʻolaha ʻia e ka ʻoihana i manaʻo ʻia e hoʻoponopono i ka hoʻololi ʻana i ke aniau-me ka "kohu maʻemaʻe," hopu ʻana a me ka mālama ʻana [CCS], ka hoʻoheheʻe ʻana i ka lanahu, ka mana nuklea, nā mākeke hoʻoneʻe kalapona, a me ka fertilization moana-agrofuels he mea hoʻonāukiuki. "Hoʻoholo wahaheʻe" i hāpai ʻia no ko lākou hiki ke ʻohi i ka loaʻa kālā ma mua o ko lākou hiki ke hoʻoponopono pono i nā pilikia. [1]
Hoʻonui ka Agrofuels i ka hoʻololi ʻana i ke aniau a me ka ʻilihune:
Ke hōʻike nei ka ulu ʻana o nā palapala mai nā pae a pau o ke kaiāulu, ke noʻonoʻo ʻia nā hopena a pau, hoʻonui ka agrofuels i ka hoʻokuʻu ʻana i nā kinoea hoʻomehana honua; hoʻopau i ka lepo a me ka wai; hoʻokele i ka luku ʻana i nā ululāʻau a me nā kaiaolaola like ʻole; ka hopena o ka hoʻohana nui ʻana i nā mea kanu genetically engineered, pesticides ʻona, a me nā herbicides; a hoʻohui i ka mana hui ma luna o ke komo ʻana i ka ʻāina. ʻOiai ke ʻōlelo ʻia nei e pōmaikaʻi ka poʻe ʻilihune kuaʻāina i ka agrofuels, ʻoiaʻiʻo, ua hoʻoneʻe ʻia ka poʻe mahiʻai ʻōiwi a me nā mea liʻiliʻi. ʻO ka mahiʻai ʻoihana a me ka luku ʻana i nā mea olaola, ʻelua kumu nui o ka hoʻomehana honua, e hoʻomaʻamaʻa hou ʻia e nā agrofuels. [2]
ʻAʻole e hoʻoponopono nā wahie "cellulosic" i nā pilikia:
Me ka ʻike ʻana i ke kuleana o nā agrofuels i ka hoʻokiʻekiʻe ʻana i nā kumukūʻai meaʻai, ua hoʻonui nui ʻia ka nānā ʻana i nā kumukūʻai pilikanaka a me ke kaiaola o ke kulina a me ke kō i loaʻa i ka ethanol. I ka pane ʻana, aia i kēia manawa ke koi nui nei e hoʻomohala i ka meaʻai ʻole, ka mea i kapa ʻia ʻo cellulosic fuels e pili ana i nā koi ʻaʻole e hoʻokūkū kēia mau meaʻai hou (mau kumu lāʻau, a me nā huahana "ʻōpala") me ka hana meaʻai a hiki ke ulu ma " nā ʻāina palaualelo a me ka ʻāina. Ke hoʻonohonoho pono nei ka ʻoihana Obama e hiki mai ana e kākoʻo ikaika ma kēia kahua. [3] ʻO ka mea pōʻino, ʻaʻole paʻa kēia mau ʻōlelo i ka nānā ʻana.
ʻAʻole e pale ka pilikia o ka hoʻokūkū hoʻohana ʻāina i kahi koi nui hou no nā kumulāʻau, mauʻu a me nā mea kanu ʻē aʻe, hiki ke ʻai a ʻai ʻole paha. ʻO ka ʻāina i hiki ke hoʻohana ʻia no nā mea kanu meaʻai a i ʻole ka mālama olaola e hoʻohuli nui ʻia i ka hana ikehu. Ke piʻi aʻe nei ka makemake o ka ʻāina no ka mahiʻai a me ka lāʻau ma ka honua holoʻokoʻa no ka emi ʻana o ka wai, ka lepo a me nā mea olaola a piʻi ka paʻa ʻole o ke aniau. [4]
ʻAʻole hiki ke hoʻokō ʻia ka nui o ka noi:
Ma kahi o nā meaʻai cellulosic i manaʻo ʻia (me nā mea kanu i hoʻolaʻa ʻia e like me nā mauʻu perennial a me nā lāʻau ulu wikiwiki a i ʻole nā lāʻau genetically engineered, mahiʻai a me nā ululāʻau "nā ʻōpala a me nā koena", nā ʻōpala municipal etc.) ke hōʻike nei i nā hopohopo koʻikoʻi koʻikoʻi ma ka pālākiō e pono ai e mālama i nā hana biorefinery. a kōkua nui i nā koi ikehu US. Eia kekahi, ʻo nā pahuhopu wahie hou i ka US ke kauoha i ka hoʻohana ʻana i 15 biliona galani corn ethanol i kēlā me kēia makahiki, kahi nui e koi ai i ka hapakolu o nā hua kulina o nā ʻāina, a me kahi 21 biliona galani hou i ka makahiki o ka "advanced" agrofuels. e wehe ana i ka hiki ke hoʻokō ʻia ke koi me nā kumu haole. Ke piʻi aʻe nei ke koi hou no nā agrofuels i ka hoʻopau ʻana i nā ululāʻau a me ka hopena o ka hoʻololi ʻana i nā ululāʻau maoli a me nā kalapona waiwai nui a me nā mauʻu i loko o nā mea kanu lāʻau lāʻau ʻilihune a me nā mea kanu lāʻau ʻē aʻe. [5]
ʻO nā hoʻololi hoʻohana ʻāina ma muli o ka mahiʻai ʻoihana, me ka nui o ka hoʻopau ʻana i ka ululāʻau, nā kumu nui o ka hoʻololi ʻana i ke aniau. 'Ike 'ia ka noi'i hou 'ana, 'oi aku ka nui o ke kalapona ma mua o ka mea i mana'o mua 'ia, ('o ia ho'i, 'o ka Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, ua ho'oha'aha'a 'ia nā waihona kalapona no nā ululā'au ulu kahiko ma ka 'elua hapakolu). ʻO ke ʻano kēia, ʻo ka hoʻopau ʻana i nā ululāʻau he kumu nui loa i ka hoʻomehana honua ma mua o ka mea i manaʻo mua ʻia, a he mea koʻikoʻi nā ululāʻau kūlohelohe no ka wehe ʻana i ke kalapona. No laila, pono mākou e pale i nā koena o nā ululāʻau, nā mauʻu a me nā kaiaola waiwai ʻē aʻe. [6]
ʻO ka hoʻohana nui ʻana o ka biotechnology no ka hana ʻana i ka agrofuel, me ka genetically engineered (GE) feedstock crops e like me GE mauʻu a me GE lāʻau, a me ka hoʻolālā ʻana e hoʻohana i ka biology synthetic a me nā ʻenehana ʻenekini ʻē aʻe e hoʻololi a kūkulu i nā microbes, he pilikia ʻole a pōʻino. [7]
Sustainability criteria cannot address the problems with agrofuels because they are incapable of addressing many complex and often indirect ecological and social impacts. Neither can they be implemented under globally diverse ecological, social and political situations. Similar efforts to develop criteria for soy, palm oil and timber, for example, have proven vastly inadequate. Finally, these efforts are based on the fundamental and flawed assumption that such massive demands can and should be met.
Agrofuels are not a renewable energy source:
ʻOiai e ulu hou ana nā mea kanu, ʻo ka lepo, nā meaʻai, nā minerala a me ka wai e pono ai lākou i ka liʻiliʻi. Ua kaupalena ʻia nā ʻano kaiaola like ʻole a paʻakikī hoʻi e pili ana i nā mea kanu maoli. Pono e kālele ʻia nā haʻawina a me nā mea hoʻoikaika no nā wahie hiki ke hoʻololi hou ʻia, e like me ka makani a me ka ikehu lā. Akā, i kēia manawa ma US kokoke i ʻekolu hapaha o nā ʻauhau ʻauhau a me ʻelua hapakolu o nā haʻawina federal no ka ikehu hou e hoʻolilo hewa ʻia i nā agrofuels. [8]
He pōʻino ka Agrofuels no nā kānaka:
Ke ʻike nei nā aupuni, nā mea hoʻopukapuka a me nā ʻoihana i ka piʻi nui ʻana o ka noi a me ka loaʻa kālā o ka ʻāina no ka meaʻai, fiber a me ka ikehu i kēia manawa, ke ʻike nei mākou i ka nalu ʻai ʻana o ka ʻāina ma ka pae honua. He pōʻino kēia no nā poʻe kuaʻāina a me nā ʻōiwi e hoʻomāhuahua nei i ke kipaku ʻia a i ʻole ka hoʻoneʻe ʻia. Inā hoʻemi ʻia a hoʻopau ʻia paha nā kumukūʻai e kaupalena ana i ke kālepa agrofuel honua, e piʻi aʻe ka pōʻino pili kanaka a me ke kaiaola.
ʻO nā neʻe kaiāulu a puni ka honua, e komo pū ana me ka neʻe ʻana o ka poʻe mahiʻai honua, ʻo Via Campesina, ke kāhea nei i "ka ʻai a me ka mana ikaika." ʻO Via Campesina, me ka International Assessment of Agricultural Knowledge, Science and Technology for Development (IAASTD), kahi loiloi kūʻokoʻa kūʻokoʻa lōʻihi o ka mahiʻai e pili ana i nā ʻepekema 400 a me nā mea like ʻole, kuhikuhi i ke koʻikoʻi nui o ka hoʻi ʻana i ka hoʻomalu kūloko. ʻO nā hana mahiʻai ʻano like ʻole, pili i ke kaiaola, a me ka mea nui i ka hoʻoponopono ʻana i ka hoʻololi ʻana i ke aniau a me ka ʻilihune. I ke koi ʻana e hoʻōki i ka pupule o ka hoʻonui ʻana i ka agrofuel, ke kū nei mākou i ka lōkahi me nā poʻe a puni ka honua e kūʻē nei i ka nalowale a me ka luku ʻana i ko lākou mau ʻāina, a me nā holoholona hihiu a me nā mea olaola e hoʻoneʻe ʻia no ka waiwai ʻoihana. [9]
Pono e hāʻawi i kahi manawa kūpono i nā hoʻonā maoli.
Nui nā koho maikaʻi no ka hoʻololi ʻana i ke aniau. Hōʻoiaʻiʻo ʻia kēia mau mea, ʻaʻole pili i nā ʻenehana pilikia, hoʻihoʻi i ka mana o nā kumuwaiwai i nā kamaʻāina kūloko ma mua o ka loaʻa ʻana o nā ʻoihana kuleana ʻole, a ʻoi aku ka kaulike. [10]
Hoʻopili kēia akā ʻaʻole kau palena ʻia i:
* ʻO ka manaʻo nui i ka hoʻomaikaʻi ʻana i ka pono o ka ikehu, ka halihali lehulehu a me ka hoʻemi ʻana o ka hoʻohana ʻana i loko o ʻAmelika Hui Pū ʻIa (a me nā ʻāina waiwai ʻē aʻe);
* ʻO ka hōʻole ʻana i ka ʻoihana mahiʻai a me ka biotechnology a me ka hoʻi ʻana i nā hana mahiʻai like ʻole i hoʻoponopono ʻia a me ke kaiāulu me ka pahuhopu o ka hānai ʻana i nā kānaka, ʻaʻole nā kaʻa, ʻoiai e mālama ana i ka lepo a me ka wai, e hoʻonui i ke kalapona a me ka pale ʻana i nā mea olaola;
* Hoʻopau i ka 36 biliona galani i kēlā me kēia makahiki Renewable Fuel Standard biofuel target i ka Energy Independence and Security Act.
* Kākoʻo i nā kuleana ʻāina ʻōiwi a me nā hana hoʻokele kaiāulu ma ke ʻano he kumu nui o ka hoʻoikaika ʻana i ka mālama ʻana i nā kaiaolaolaola like ʻole a me ka hoʻokō ʻana i ka ʻae manuahi a me ka ʻike mua ʻia mai nā poʻe ʻōiwi e pili ana i nā papahana i manaʻo ʻia ma ko lākou ʻāina a me nā panalāʻau.
* Hoʻemi i ka noi no nā hua ulu lāʻau a me ka pale ikaika ʻana i ke koena o nā ululāʻau maoli a me nā mauʻu;
* Hōʻole i ka lanahu a me nā ʻenehana nuklea, he mea ʻawaʻawa a weliweli;
* Ka hoʻonui ʻia ʻana o ka makani a me ka ikaika o ka lā;
* Ka waiho ʻana i nā wahie fossil i ka lepo, kahi hiki ʻole iā lākou ke kōkua i ka hoʻololi ʻana i ke aniau;
* Ka hōʻole ʻana i nā ala kūʻai kūʻai pono ʻole e hoʻololi i ka lewa, biodiversity, a me ke kanaka ponoʻī.
See the complete list of 40 organizations that have signed on to this letter, along with detailed notes and more than 30 supporting references at http://globaljusticeecology.org/connections.php?ID=244. To add your group’s signature to this letter, email your organization’s name, contact person and website address to [pale ʻia ka leka uila].
Rachel Smolker is an independent research scientist, based in Hinesburg, Vermont, and Brian Tokar is the director of the Institute for Social Ecology, based in Plainfield, Vermont. For more information on the Institute, go to social-ecology.org.
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