Thursday

28th Mar 2024

EU, US biofuels rules aggravating third world land grab, World Bank says

The World Bank has said that EU and US biofuels policies have resulted in a rush for land in African and other developing regions of the world, pushing out areas that have been used for food.

In a 164-page report that actually endorses the practice of the sale of vast tracts of agricultural land to foreign buyers, the global lender nevertheless frets over the fall-out of northern legislation that makes investors view every farm, jungle and meadow in the third world the same way they view an oil field.

Read and decide

Join EUobserver today

Get the EU news that really matters

Instant access to all articles — and 20 years of archives. 14-day free trial.

... or subscribe as a group

  • Northern biofuels policies have led to a rush for land in the developing world, says the World Bank (Photo: Notat)

"Biofuel mandates may have large indirect effects on land use change, particularly converting pasture and forest land," the report says.

"Rising energy prices and public subsidies and mandates, with second generation biofuels still at least a decade away, led to rapid increases in the demand for biofuel feedstock."

The report notes that the shift began in 2003 as countries first began to develop biofuels policies. By 2008, the total area under biofuel crop cultivation was estimated to be 36 million hectares, more than twice the 2004 level, with 8.3 million hectares in the EU, 7.5 million in the US and 6.4 million in Latin America.

"Experts have long been concerned that by affecting prices, biofuel mandates will have sizable impacts on land use far beyond the countries where they operate," reads the document.

The report chimes with research done by environmental group Friends of the Earth, which released its own document last week that said that some 5 million hectares of land across 11 African countries, an area as big as Denmark, is in the process of being acquired for biofuels development.

Mariann Bassey, a campaigner with Friends of the Earth Nigeria said in response to the World Bank conclusions: "This demand [for biofuels] is transforming our natural resources into fuel crops, taking away food-growing farmland, and creating conflicts with local people over land ownership."

"We are suffering just so that Europe and developed nations can fuel their cars and lorries."

The World Bank report says the number of reported large-scale farmland deals in total, not just from biofuels, amounted to 45 million hectares in 2009 alone, an average expansion rate of 4 million hectares a year in the decade leading up to 2008.

 

The report, based on data from 14 countries, said that large-scale farmland deals can benefits people in developing countries if the investment leads to greater food productivity.

However, the authors temper this optimistic note by saying great danger lies from the lack of transparency and secretive tactics of buyers and sellers.

"In countries where demand for land has recently risen, limited screening of proposals, lack of due diligence and an air of secrecy has created an environment conducive to weak governance," the report continued.

 

"These large land acquisitions can come at a high cost. The veil of secrecy that often surrounds these land deals must be lifted so poor people don't ultimately pay the heavy price of losing their land," said World Bank managing director Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala.

MEPs approve plan to put cap on older biofuels

The European Parliament's environment committee Tuesday approved a plan to try and steer investors away from traditional types of biofuels that have had negative side-effects on food prices, environment and climate change.

EU to phase out most harmful biofuels

EU negotiators have reached a deal on a new renewable energy directive. 'One of the most sensitive issues during the negotiations was biofuels from food and feed crops,' said MEP Bas Eickhout.

"Swiftly dial back" interest rates, ECB told

Italian central banker Piero Cipollone in his first monetary policy speech since joining the ECB's board in November, said that the bank should be ready to "swiftly dial back our restrictive monetary policy stance."

Latest News

  1. "Swiftly dial back" interest rates, ECB told
  2. Moscow's terror attack, security and Gaza
  3. Why UK-EU defence and security deal may be difficult
  4. EU unveils plan to create a European cross-border degree
  5. How migrants risk becoming drug addicts along Balkan route
  6. 2024: A Space Odyssey — why the galaxy needs regulating
  7. Syrian mayor in Germany speaks out against AfD
  8. Asian workers pay price for EU ship recycling

Stakeholders' Highlights

  1. Nordic Council of MinistersJoin the Nordic Food Systems Takeover at COP28
  2. Nordic Council of MinistersHow women and men are affected differently by climate policy
  3. Nordic Council of MinistersArtist Jessie Kleemann at Nordic pavilion during UN climate summit COP28
  4. Nordic Council of MinistersCOP28: Gathering Nordic and global experts to put food and health on the agenda
  5. Friedrich Naumann FoundationPoems of Liberty – Call for Submission “Human Rights in Inhume War”: 250€ honorary fee for selected poems
  6. World BankWorld Bank report: How to create a future where the rewards of technology benefit all levels of society?

Stakeholders' Highlights

  1. Georgia Ministry of Foreign AffairsThis autumn Europalia arts festival is all about GEORGIA!
  2. UNOPSFostering health system resilience in fragile and conflict-affected countries
  3. European Citizen's InitiativeThe European Commission launches the ‘ImagineEU’ competition for secondary school students in the EU.
  4. Nordic Council of MinistersThe Nordic Region is stepping up its efforts to reduce food waste
  5. UNOPSUNOPS begins works under EU-funded project to repair schools in Ukraine
  6. Georgia Ministry of Foreign AffairsGeorgia effectively prevents sanctions evasion against Russia – confirm EU, UK, USA

Join EUobserver

EU news that matters

Join us