Issue #0

Agrofuels

Plot

Since they were heralded as a key weapon in the fight against climate change, biofuels have been criticized heavily for doing more harm than good due to deforestation and stealing agricultural land essential to farmers in the developing world. This book asks whether there is any place for biofuels in a low-carbon future.Francois Houtart argues that the green potential of biofuels has been wasted by businesses that put profits above environmental protection. This has led to the absurd situation where an energy source that should be sustainable actually increases human and ecological damage, simply due to the profit-maximizing decisions of capitalists rather than a flaw in the concept of biofuels.Students of development studies and environmental economics will find that this book offers a interesting new perspective on the future of energy.