USA: Sign-on letter opposing conversion of forests to fuel
Harper’s Index, January 2006
Number of years the United States could meet its energy needs by burning all its trees: 1
There are new threats to our already stressed and increasingly fragmented
forests from the continued growth of the human population combined with the
industrialized world’s growing demand for energy. At the same time the
critical role large areas of intact forest play in moderating climate change
is becoming increasingly clear. As you know there is widespread interest in
finding safer, non-polluting sources of energy and ending our dependence on
coal, oil, and nuclear power. Recent testimony by Obama’s cabinet level
nominees and language in the new, widely heralded “omnibus” wilderness bill
presage a massive new pressure to convert public forests to fuels. The
pressure to produce fuels does not stop at public lands. A variety of
industrial enterprises are attempting to hijack the public support for safe,
affordable energy (think “clean” coal) and climb on the green energy
bandwagon, including what are known as agrofuels. “Agrofuels” is the name
given to large-scale industrial production of transport fuels and other
energy from plants such as corn, sugar cane, oilseeds, trees, grasses, or
so-called agricultural and woodland waste. Agrofuels threaten forests,
biodiversity, food sovereignty, and community-based land rights.
Paradoxically, production of agrofuels will actually worsen climate change.
Please go to the website and SIGN YOUR GROUP ON opposing the
conversion of forests to fuel.
http://globaljusticeecology.org/connections.php?ID=244 contact@globaljusticeecology.org