London - Biofuels were once viewed as the renewable solution to satisfying the seemingly unlimited, growing global appetite for fuel. But a new report on biofuels by Friends of the Earth Sawit Watch and LifeMosaic points out some of the global downsides of biofuels in detailing how it is hurting Indonesia`s communities and people.
And the damage being done to human rights in Indonesia by growing palm oil to convert into biofuel is only a microcosm of the potential global damage to people and the environment from attempting to switch from fossil fuels to biofuel to fill vehicle gas tanks.
According to the International Herald-Tribune, a ton of palm oil generates 33 tons of the greenhouse gas carbon dioxide emissions, which is 10 times more carbon dioxide than the fossil fuel petroleum emits.
The Friends of the Earth report is titled "Losing Ground."
It points out the irony of attempting to tackle the problem of climate change, which is damaging the earth`s environment, by replacing greenhouse gas emitting fossil fuels with agrofuels because the production of those agrofuels causes more damage to the environment.
Palm oil has become a favored crop to grow to produce biofuels and Indonesia, which produces most of the world`s palm oil, is putting more land into palm oil production.
According to the report, to do so Indonesia`s government is in the process of clearing forest that currently covers a land area the size of England, the Netherlands and Switzerland combined to plant more palm oil.
However, destroying forests also destroys the livelihoods of from 60 million to 90 million people in Indonesia, who don`t stand to profit from palm oil plantations. Destruction of the forests also robs endangered animals, birds, insects and plants - including many medicinal plants - of a place to live and directly threatens endangered species such as the orangutan and Sumatran Tiger.
In Indonesia, property is not always owned by individuals. The forests have been managed by communities for generations. The 60 million to 90 million people living in those communities have used the forests to earn their livings by growing food and cash crops, harvesting medicinal plants, rubber for latex and other uses and building materials.
Part of the problem is Indonesia`s 1945 Constitution that partially protects indigenous people`s rights but also states that "land, water, and all natural resources that belong to common pools and public goods, are under state control and will be utilized for the maximum welfare of the people," according to the report`s Executive Summary.
Source: www.allheadlinenews.com (12 Februari 2008)