Green Principal Speaker joins biofuels protest
08 December 2007
Green Party Principal Speaker Dr. Derek Wall was manhandled by police during a peaceful protest against Tesco's promotion, sale and use of biofuels in its stores and transport. The police forced Dr Wall and several other protesters, including Norfolk Green Party councillor Dr Andrew Boswell of 'biofuelwatch', into a metal pen constructed especially outside Tesco on Regent Street.
A peaceful protest was held for an hour including a stop by 300 cyclists and 1 minutes silence for those who are suffering or who have died as the result of massive expansion of large scale biofuel plantations across the South.
Dr. Wall said:
"Tesco are already the UK market leader in biofuels. They sell a 5% bioethanol mix at over 300 petrol stations in the UK. Their corporate greenwash states that 'this helps our customers reduce their emissions, as a car driven with our bioethanol mix petrol is responsible for 4.5% less CO2.' (1)
"However, what they omit to tell their customers is what The New Scientist reported last month - that the lifespan of palm oil biodiesel used by Tesco can actually produce an increase of 3600% more carbon emissions than ordinary fossil diesel per unit. (2)
"Agrofuels are causing significantly more harm than good. On top of the destruction of ecosystems, agrofuels are precipitating a human rights problem of epic proportions as agrofuel speculators are seizing arable land as well as evicting indigenous peoples from their forest homes - an anticipated 60 million people, according to the UN. (3)
"Food prices are escalating, putting basic staples outside of the reach of families living close to poverty - witness the 75% rise in wheat in the last few months. This is often a matter of life and death for the world's poorest people, and corporate large scale biofuel investment is causing it."
ENDS
Notes for Editor
2 - environment.newscientist.com
3 - www.biofuelwatch.org.uk/files/pressrelease2007-06-05.pdf
