Reviewing the pessimists’ views of biofuels

It seems that even after my initial discussion, providing evidence that the trends of the effects of biofuels on society, economics and the environment are not all negative as often presented in the media to draw the public’s attention, some readers are not convinced, judging by some comments. While it is not my intention to persuade anyone to my point of view, especially as my own ideas continue evolving anyway, I feel the need to further my viewpoint through research. This is what I found.

Apart from the many case-specific scare stories of the effects that biofuels apparently caused, which do not usually represent the general trend and are arguably not based on sufficient scientific evidence, the more scientific and objective report I expected to find on the matter was an article published on the Yale University website. However, even this respected institution was not able to provide me with the evidence I expected: i.e. objective facts and figures on the actual impact of biofuels. Instead, it seems to be regurgitating the same discussion of the potential worst-case scenario impacts of biofuels that is presented in the media, assuming that all the world’s problems, such as food shortages and phosphorus depletion should be blamed on biofuels. I do not see any concrete objective evidence provided to support these claims that these negative impacts are the major trend in reality at present or that it will be in the future. I have discussed this view in more detail in a comment on DanDan’s blog, so please review it.  

I am not saying that the sceptics are wrong and that biofuels will have all positive impacts no matter what; I am just saying that they do not have to be harmful and that they can be a way ahead if managed well. The evidence for the likelihood of this positivist claim being likely to realize, is beginning to be shown in practice through concrete evidence of cases with successful outcomes I discussed before. Success of biofuels is especially likely in the future with further research into minimizing the negative effects and maximizing the positive ones and with a global political collaboration, as mentioned in the IEA Report (2008).

That said, the current destructive large-scale industrial biofuel production such as on peatlands has got to stop, as I will discuss later.