Biofuel saga again..going the wrong way?

Once again, the biofuel issue is a hot potato. The Guardian has in the last few days mentioned concerns by the EU, as well as scientists, on the actual benefits of biofuel.

The EU has admitted that:

the environmental and social impact of producing the crops may be greater than originally thought

Also, in the US, the cultivation of maize for biofuel, has been accused of increasing food prices and damaging the environment.

A Report in Science has also indicated that biofuels made from corn, sugar cane and soy could have a greater environmental impact than burning fossil since they have higher costs in terms of biodiversity loss and destruction of farmland.

Another Report from the Royal Society suggested that biofuels risk failing to deliver significant reductions in transport emissions and could even be environmentally damaging unless the government implements the right policies.

Ultimately, the Royal Society was quoted as saying that given biofuels were already in the market, it was "vital that policies that promote biofuel development also address the environmental, economic and social impacts.

Sources: The Guardian
The Guardian