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The European Union has traditionally been more cautious of genetically-modified (GM) foods than the rest of us. They require more scientific study than other food safety organizations before approving individual seeds and ban a significant number of GM seeds as well. This stands in stark contrast to U.S. policies that encourage GM crop growing through subsidies. According to an article in the Christian Science Monitor, 92% of Minnesota’s 2007 soybean crop and 86% of its corn crop came from GM seeds.
Now, mounting pressure from both Europe’s farmers and global food aid organizations have caused the high courts of various EU countries to reconsider.
By Rod Adams •
June 23, 2008
On June 22, 2008, Gordon Brown, the UK Prime Minister, spoke to a crowd that included the representatives of 27 oil producing countries. His primary message was that the current price of oil was not sustainable since it was high enough to cause economic hardships and a move to alternative energy sources. He was careful to point out that the alternatives to oil included nuclear power and that his country was making preparations to enable a large scale nuclear development program.
He also mentioned that at least 15 of his fellow European Union states were considering new nuclear power developments.
“Our commitment to the biggest expansion of nuclear power in Europe is now clear and definitive,” Brown said in his speech. “Fifteen of 27 European countries are now engaged in nuclear power.”
Oil ministers have a longer and deeper memory of energy related history than most casual observers; it is in their professional interest. During the 1970s, a number of nations, including France, Taiwan, Japan, and South Korea made a strategic decision to replace oil burning power plants with nuclear fission reactors.
By Levi Novey •
June 22, 2008
Several days ago, I read a story about how Peru’s butterfly exports had increased 43% from January-April of this year. These are the butterflies that are pinned into glass frames for sale as gifts and souvenirs. I wondered if all of these butterflies included those that are exported illegally and those that are endangered. Questions of this kind were on my mind as just several days earlier my family had passed by a street vendor who sold animals illegally.
One of the animals was a baby monkey, caged and frightened. We live in the highlands region of Peru, so the monkey was far from its former home in the rainforest. My wife, who in the past worked as a biologist throughout Peru, told me that she thought this was an endangered monkey. As we walked home, I wished I had brought my camera. This I thought, is a story that needs to be pursued.
By Levi Novey •
May 20, 2008
This past weekend, a major summit was held in Lima, Peru between leaders of European Union countries and also Latin American and Caribbean countries. Numerous agenda items were on the table, but the overall focuses of the meetings were upon the global food crisis, climate change, poverty, and potential trade agreements. Of course, what would an international summit be without some
- good, old-fashioned name-calling to put everyone on edge before hand
- a President attending a “rival summit” and taking time to go play some football! (Soccer for Americans.)
- and an uninspiring finish where seemingly little got accomplished, but yet we can hold onto hope because there are plans to keep the conversation going.
The European Commission has unveiled a plan to cut global warming emissions one-fifth in the next twelve years, and it requires the 27 European Union (EU) countries to have specific emissions targets. If successful, the plan would cut emissions 20 percent by 2020, based on 1990 emission levels.
Some countries are better suited to invest in clean technologies, and the EU goals take that into account. Emissions calculations were based on the amount of renewable energy effort being made in 2005 (the most recent data available) and the wealth of each nation (based on gross domestic product).
Sweden, for example, was asked to get half its energy needs from renewables by 2020. Finland, Austria, Portugal and Denmark are required to use renewable energy for one-third of their needs. Check out the targets for all EU nations here.
Biomass, wind, wave, and solar power will be aimed at the three chief sectors: electricity, heating and cooling, and transport. EU members will have the flexibility to decide how to achieve their goal, but the commission mandates a 10 percent use of biofuels in the transportation sector. Agriculture and forestry are not included in the targets
Are biofuel mandates and tax credits such a good idea? It may be wise to learn from the EU’s experience…
After passage of the new Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) late last year (see earlier post), which mandates production of 15 billion gallons of corn-grain ethanol by by 2015, many of us are left contemplating the vast implications for US industry, not to mention commodity prices, auto manufacturing, and the greater course of biofuel research and development.
Rewind to 2003, when the European Union (EU) passed a biofuel directive requiring 5.75% of transport energy to come from biofuels by 2010, increasing to 20% by 2020. When paired with tax credits for biodiesel production, business boomed, at least for a while:
Mirroring the U.S. experience with ethanol, European companies rushed to make biodiesel out of a range of things, including rapeseed crops and used McDonald’s frying oil. Low raw-material costs and generous tax breaks meant margins were high. By last year, Europe’s annual capacity to make the fuel had climbed to 10 million metric tons from two million tons in 2003.
As with ethanol in the U.S., though, Europe now has a glut of biodiesel. The world consumed only nine million tons of biodiesel last year. Europe’s producers found buyers for just five million tons. The industry is in trouble, under pressure from soaring costs, disappearing tax breaks, less-costly imports and waning public support.
By Pem Charnley •
December 18, 2007
We send out fishermen in all weathers to the North Sea – a brutal piece of water that is freezing and ravaged by storms - and we demand they come back with nets heaving with our favourite fish.
Cod.
To supply our favourite dish. Cod and chips.
It’s time for a rethink. We’re gorging on creatures that can’t breed fast enough to keep up with governmental ineptitude.
Fish stocks around the British Isles are approaching extinction. European Union (EU) legislation is crazy.
By Amy Stodghill •
February 19, 2007
Friends of the Earth EuropeThe European Parliament wants to crack down on garbage. They want current waste numbers to hold steady after 2012 and begin declining after 2020.
The legislation the EU is considering would require all member countries to create national waste prevention programs and increase recycling efforts.
The framework they're creating would employ a "hierarchy" of waste preference. "First prevention, then re-use, recycling, other recovery operations and, as
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