The Controversies of

AGROFUELSAGROFUELS

Presentation by: Vinicius Santos & Mike Acton

7 major controversies

• Agrofuels ignore other alternatives• Competition with land and food supply• Corporation takeover• Exploitation of developing countries• Falsified reduction of CO2 emissions• Risks to surrounding biodiversity• Violation of human rights

Biofuel or Agrofuel?• Biofuels: relate to all biofuels no matter their origin

or from what product they were produced from (whether it be a crop product or animal waste).

• Agrofuels are are a type of biofuel that consists of crops and/or trees (maize, sugar cane or oil palm for example) that are grown on a large scale resembling a monoculture

Agrofuels ignore other alternatives (transportation)

• Transportation is the biggest

aid to climate change

• Agrofuels are somewhat of a

‘scapegoat’ for researching

and developing alternatives

Agrofuels ignore other alternatives

• Making automobiles more fuel efficient

• Decreasing travel time and distance of product distribution/development

• Slowing the growth of the transportation sector in general

Competition with land and food supply

• Food and fuel competing for the same land

• World food reserves are falling

• Drastic rise in food prices

• Food vs. Fuel battle

Corporation takeover

• Large TNCs see the opportunity for an expansion in an already booming exploitative business

• Agricultural/petroleum/car companies are all heavy investors

• Agreements are formed between these corporations to allow for further benefits and profits.

Exploitation of developing countries

• Developing supplies the developed

• Large scale investors ‘force’ local producers into production

• Switch from crops for food to crops for fuel leads to increased dependency

Falsified reduction of CO2 emissions

Chain of production of biofuels.– Removal of the original cover of soil;– Production and use of chemical fertilizers;– Chemical crop protection;– Transportation of all raw materials and final

products.

Emissions from the usage of biofuels.

EMISSIONS FROM THE PRODUCTION PROCESS

BURNING OF A SUGARCANE PLANTATION BEFORE THE HARVESTING PROCESS STARTS.

ENERGETIC BALANCE OF SOME CROPS

INDIRECT EMISSIONS The expansion of the plantations and risks of

“pushing” moves of other crops.

PASTURES FOR CATTLE EXPANSION ON AMAZON

RAINFOREST

SOY PLANTATION ON DEFRORESTED AMAZON FIELD

INDIRECT EMISSIONS

CERRADO FIELD BURNT TO BECOME A SOY FIELD

Risks to surrounding biodiversities

The sugarcane causes these impacts:

  Biodiversity loss caused by deforestation and establishment of monoculture; Contaminations of surface and groundwater and soil due excessive using of

chemical fertilizers, lime minerals, pesticides and herbicides; Soil compaction due to traffic of heavy machinery during planting and

harvesting; Siltation of water sources due to erosions in exploited areas; Soot and greenhouse gases from burning straw in the open

air during the harvesting period; Damage to flora and fauna, caused by wildfires; Intense consumption of diesel oil on the steps of planting, harvesting

and transport; Concentration of land and sub-human conditions of work of the cane

cutters.SOURCE: EMBRAPA-BRAZIL

Violation of Human Rights

Most of the labour used to harvest sugarcane is manual.

These workers receive wages according to productivity in the sugarcane fields.

The working conditions at harvest are mostly poor.

Under pressure to reduce then eliminate the burning of the plantations, many states are providing laws and projects to achieve 100% of harvest without burning. This equates to the mechanization of this process.

Violation of Human Rights

Violation of Human Rights

The education level of these workers eventually becomes a hindrance to adaptation to new features of the sugarcane industry.

Structural problems of basic education will promote further exclusion of these workers.

Negative predictions lead to believe that new waves of migration to cities will further raise the number of people marginalized by poverty.

Questions?

Thank you!

Mike Acton & Vinicius Barbosa Teixeira M. Santos.