July 7, 2008
 

UK to urge agricultural development and highlight biofuel dangers in G8 meeting

The UK government will warn Monday (July 6, 2008) that the focus on producing biofuels risks worsening food price inflation and that governments should come together to create new goals for "sustainable" biofuel supply.

The UK government issued a statement stating that the UK would also urge more funds to be channeled towards agricultural development in developing countries.

The statement comes as Prime Minister Gordon Brown arrives in Japan for the Group of Eight summit of leading nations. Brown would also use the meeting to urge fellow heads of government to "work to develop new global benchmarks for sustainable biofuel production and use."

The expanded production of biofuels such as ethanol for environmental reasons has led to a reduction in the amount of land used for crops and grazing, critics say, driving up the price of basic foodstuffs.

The issue of surging food prices is high on the G8 agenda. Food inflation is threatening the livelihoods of some of the world's poorest and has been a significant factor in driving up inflation in developed nations

Brown will urge the G8 this week to reverse the overall decline of aid and investment in the agricultural sector in the developing world, to create an early warning system to examine long-term food supply trends to support investment in research and development and investment in irrigation, transport and the supply chain to reduce waste, according to the statement.

The UK government has already pledged more than US$1 billion to counter the effects of rising food prices on poorer nations.