(China Daily)
Updated: 2008-02-05 07:29

We must not undermine other resources in pursuit of bio-fuels, says an article in People's Daily. The following is an excerpt:

To meet the growing demands for energy and environmental protection, many countries are researching and developing bio-fuels, which have become a heated topic in the world. Many countries and regions plan to develop bio-fuels. The European Union wants 10 percent of its transportation to be powered by bio-fuels by 2020. However, experts have expressed opposing opinions, throwing cold water on the emerging sector.

Bio-fuels are believed to be a source of clean energy. But experts have said that Brazil has cut down some of its rain forest so it can plant sugar cane to produce ethanol. The amount of carbon dioxide absorbed by the lost rain forest was actually greater than that reduced by the use of bio-fuels. Simply put, the loss outweighs the gain. Similar cases have happened in some Southeast Asian countries.

Experts have also raised questions about how renewable bio-fuels are. Petroleum and coal are finite, meaning they will eventually all be gone some day. But bio-fuels are grown and thus seem inexhaustible.

However, experts have pointed out that the production of bio-fuels requires large tracts of arable land, which also bears the responsibility of growing food for human beings. If more resources are used to make bio-fuels, people will be competing with cars for nourishment.

Moreover, plants need water, which is also a scarce resource. Without land and water, it will be impossible to produce bio-fuels.

All people want to develop new sources of energy, but the process is very complex. Bio-fuels are only one alternative. Our exploration of other alternatives should not stop.

(China Daily 02/05/2008 page8)