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There is constant development being made to control global warming. The main target is reducing the use of fossil fuels by using more renewable energy. More wind farms have been built on and off shore all over the world including UK and now the focus is on using biofuels to replace the use of fossil fuels. Bio fuels is oil produced from crops, the waste is stripped from the plant and clinically altered so it is easier to burn. There are aims to increase the use of biofuels significantly by 2030 which means planting extra crops especially to be turned into biofuels. This process is causing controversy as it will lead to threat in the world's food production and therefore affecting the health of billions of people. By 2030 the population will have increased considerably, leading to increased demand for food. If the extra plantations are for the purpose of biofuels then there will be less for food production. Water supplies will also be under threat; climate change will lead to dry spells and also more demand for the water use, causing double the water problems. A tonne of wheat requires five tonnes of water to allow it to grow and survive to its full potential. Although agriculture is doing well against the population size at the moment, things are changing and there is threat that people will not have enough food to eat in years to come. With demand for the crops exceeding the supply prices will also begin to rise which creates extra threat for food supplies. Using biofuels means that there will be a reduced amount of fossil fuels being used and therefore helps control climate change; but it may be to the expense of the nutrition of the growing population.
Staff editor, Gas & Electricity Section, March 2008 |
