A cap on hunger
Feb 24, 2015
Bishop Hill in Biofuels

Precisely what is meant by sustainable development has never been entirely clear, but you could be forgiven for thinking that it was something to do with killing off as many people in the third world as possible. Take, for example, the case of biofuels, which were touted by Greenpeace and Friends of the Earth (among others) as important contributors to sustainable development and a mighty blow in the war against fossil fuels to boot. When European farmers saw the possibilities it was not long before corrupt bureaucrats in the EU leapt into action and put legislation in place to make the dreams of environmentalists and farmers a reality.

The problem was that it was a reality that involved quite a lot of hunger, not a little outright starvation, and perhaps some landgrabs too.

Seeing this, environmentalists have, without so much as a hint of an apology, done an about-face and are now vigorously campaigning against the biofuels that they were just as vociferously demanding only a few years ago. Unfortunately, the EU bureaucracy has, however, not shown quite the same alacrity in cancelling its legislation. However, in a gesture towards those suffering in poorer parts of the world it will today vote on a cap on the use of food crops in biofuels.

I feel sure that people suffering from hunger will be much comforted by the thought that the EU is making sure that levels of hunger do not increase any further.

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