On February 2nd around 20 activists from Manchester and Liverpool - some dressed as 'wolves in sheep’s clothing' - visited the D1 Oil refinery in Bromborough on the Wirral for a day of protest.. They were there as part of a week of action called by Biofuelswatch to highlight the dangerous consequences of large-scale bio-fuel production for the climate and people worldwide.

A week earlier, Rhythms of Resistance Manchester played Samba and distributed leaflets outside Tesco on Upper Brook Street (see this Indymedia news-wire article for more). The band wanted to raise awareness about the consequences of large scale agro-fuels cultivation by companies such as Tescos.

Events were rounded off by an evening of discussion hosted by Manchester Climate Forum at the Friends meeting house on Tuesday 12th February, where the guest speaker was Deepak Rhugani of Biofuels watch. In his talked he stressed the need for protection of the world's ecosystems from the threat posed by increased bio-fuel production to be as important as reducing carbon emissions.

These events come amidst announcements that from April 15th the Renewable Transport Fuel Obligation will come into force, stipulating that 2.5% of all fuel at the pump must be biofuel (food-crops processed to make fuel). The EU has set increased production and consumption of biofeuls inside and outside the EU as an energy policy priority for the coming years. By 2020 it wants to see 10% biofuels at the pump.

Biofuels were initially viewed by many as a clean, sustainable solution to an impending oil crisis: emissions produced by their combustion are lower, and CO2 is absorbed by agro-fuels as they are grown. They have however, been exposed as a wolf in sheep's clothing, potentially more harmful than the use of conventional fossil fuels.

First of all, it seems that a switch to increased biofuels would not limit atmospheric pollution. Growing biofuels on a mass scale will involve deforestation (18-20% of green house gas emmisions are caused by this activity alone), peat-land destruction, loss of habitats / biodiversity, water depletion and soil erosion. This will diminish the capacity of many of the planet's most important 'carbon sinks' – areas that absorb and store carbon dioxide. Over 20 million hectares of land are already earmarked for further palm oil development in SE Asia, massive emissions will be the result of the ensuing forest destruction. Europe is also likely to see millions of hectares of farmland changed for industrialized production of agrofuels. The heavy nitrogen fertilizers used in the process release nitrous oxide, a powerful greenhouse gas that renders the final agro-fuel produced more harmful to the climate than the fossil fuel it is blended with.

Secondly, dependency on oil seems likely remain undiminished. Huge amounts of petro-chemical based fertilizers and pesticides are required to keep large mono-crop plantations productive. Besides this, Biofuel production will be unable to keep pace with projected increases in petrol demand, and so will simply supplement fossil feuls rather than reduce their overall use. As Dr Andrew Boswell of Biofuelswatch puts it

“Governments want such 'green' veneer policies to avoid the real changes needed to tackle climate change; they also want consumers to be deluded that by using a 'bit of biofuel' they can carry on driving (the economy).”

Campaigners have also highlighted the costs likely to be incurred by people living in areas of the global south proposed as sites for large-scale biofuel production. Many such areas currently suffer from high levels of malnutrition, that would be exacerbated if productive farmland was given over to feeding the energy demands of the worlds richer nations. Forced migrations and land conflicts are likely consequences. Land grabs for agrofuels are currently happening across Asia, Latin America and Africa, and often involve violence. Some 150,000 families in Argentina and 90,000 families in Paraguay have already been displaced by soya production. In Tanzania the UK-based Sun Biofuel Plc are having over 11,000 villagers evicted for Jatrtopha biodiesel, whilst in Indonesia the Chair of the UN Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues has warned that millions of indigenous peoples will soon become biofuel refugees. Reductions in land available for food production would be felt worldwide as food prices continue to rise.

Commenting on the issue, one activist from Manchester Climate Action (who asked to remain un-named) stated:

“Unsurprisingly, the government seem to be bypassing debate on this issue. The consequences of an increase in biofuel production will be disastrous, and the only way it seems it will be stopped is through world-wide mobilizations at the grass-roots. This means acting in our communities to raise awareness of the problem, engaging in protest and direct-action, and showing solidarity for those directly affected by biofuel expansion in other parts of the world. The economic logic which drives this insane process of ever increasing energy consumption regardless of the cost must also be challenged if we are to secure a live-able future for the planet”

Manchester Climate Action meet every first and third Thursday of the month at 17.45 in the Eighth Day Cafe on Oxford Road. For more information email Manchester@climatecamp.org.uk

For more information on biofuels and worldwide resistance to them see www.biofuelswatch.org.uk