'Alternatives to biofuels needed to cut transport emissions'

Date: 16/2/2010

Money should be invested into finding other ways to reduce greenhouse emissions from transport rather than biofuels, according to a charity that campaigns for solutions for environmental problems.

Kenneth Richter, biofuels campaigner for Friends of the Earth, said that tried and tested methods of reducing transport emissions such as producing cars that are more fuel efficient and supporting public transport by making it better and cheaper are much better than relying on biofuels.

"Also, we need incentives for people to get on their bikes and cycle or walk the short distances for which they are using their cars," he added.

Mr Richter was commenting following the release of a report from ActionAid, which stated biofuels could be responsible for hundreds of millions of people facing poverty and starvation.

The report suggests that the increasing demand for biofuels puts them in direct competition with crops grown for food, leading to food price increases in developing countries.

According to the World Bank, 75 per cent of food price increases in the last two years were due to biofuels, Mr Richter added.