The UK is to slow its adoption of biofuels amid fears they raise food prices and harm the environment, the transport secretary has said.
Ruth Kelly said biofuels had potential to cut carbon emissions but there were "increasing questions" about them.
"Uncontrolled" growing of fuel crops could destroy rainforest, she told MPs.
A government-commissioned report recommends ministers "amend not abandon" biofuel policies. The Tories said policy had to change "right now".
'Important role'
Ms Kelly's statement comes as the European Parliament is about to vote on whether to scrap the EU's target of sourcing 10% of transport fuel from biofuels by 2020.
World Bank president Robert Zoellick has also called for reform in rich countries, urging them to grow more food instead.
full article
Monday, 7 July 2008
BROWN HIRES A LUXURY JET TO FLY TO GREEN SUMMIT
GORDON Brown provoked ridicule last night after chartering a luxury jet from America to fly to Japan for a conference discussing global warming.
The Prime Minister was flown on a gas-guzzling Boeing 767 private jet to attend the G8 Summit of world leaders in Hokkaido.
Downing Street’s choice of private hirers – MLW Air in Dallas, Texas – added over 9,000 carbon-emitting air miles to the journey.
MLW Air chief executive Martin Woodall confirmed last night that 767 flew 4,700 miles from Dallas to collect Mr Brown.
After the 12,000 round-trip to the summit it will drop the leader off in London, then have to fly all the way back to Dallas.
The whole exercise is thought to have cost the British taxpayer at least £500,000.
full article
British report calls for new look at biofuels
Steps need to be taken to ensure that using biofuels to fight climate change does not cause a surge in food prices, a British government report on food policy said on Monday.
"Some biofuels can potentially play an important role in tackling climate change, but we must ensure that they are sustainable and that they do not distort food markets," said the report, published as a summit of the Group of Eight rich nations in Japan discussed food prices.
Another British report on biofuels is expected to be released later on Monday, drawing more attention to the issue of diverting food crops to make fuel, which hunger campaigners say is partly responsible for a surge in prices.
The European Union's proposal to get 10 percent of road transport fuels from renewable sources, such as biofuels, by 2020 has faced growing criticism.
Biofuels are mainly produced from food crops such as wheat, maize, sugar cane and vegetable oils. The rush to grow crops for energy rather than food has pushed global food prices up by 75 percent, according to a confidential World Bank report published in Britain's the Guardian newspaper last week.
The food policy report said more research needed to be done to understand the link between biofuels and food prices.
"The government is taking steps to ensure that interactions between biofuel policies and food markets are better understood -- so that policies can be adjusted if necessary."
Less food waste was also essential to mitigate soaring food prices, added the report, published by the Cabinet Office.
As much as 40 percent of food harvested in developing countries can be lost before it is consumed due to inefficient processing, storage and transport.
By Katherine Baldwin and Nigel Hunt
full article
"Some biofuels can potentially play an important role in tackling climate change, but we must ensure that they are sustainable and that they do not distort food markets," said the report, published as a summit of the Group of Eight rich nations in Japan discussed food prices.
Another British report on biofuels is expected to be released later on Monday, drawing more attention to the issue of diverting food crops to make fuel, which hunger campaigners say is partly responsible for a surge in prices.
The European Union's proposal to get 10 percent of road transport fuels from renewable sources, such as biofuels, by 2020 has faced growing criticism.
Biofuels are mainly produced from food crops such as wheat, maize, sugar cane and vegetable oils. The rush to grow crops for energy rather than food has pushed global food prices up by 75 percent, according to a confidential World Bank report published in Britain's the Guardian newspaper last week.
The food policy report said more research needed to be done to understand the link between biofuels and food prices.
"The government is taking steps to ensure that interactions between biofuel policies and food markets are better understood -- so that policies can be adjusted if necessary."
Less food waste was also essential to mitigate soaring food prices, added the report, published by the Cabinet Office.
As much as 40 percent of food harvested in developing countries can be lost before it is consumed due to inefficient processing, storage and transport.
By Katherine Baldwin and Nigel Hunt
full article
Saturday, 5 July 2008
Comparison Websites
Gas and electricity
When using a comparison site for a cheaper gas and electricity supplier it is important that you are searching all available tariffs, not just the ones that have commercial arrangements with the comparison site.
Last September price comparison website uSwitch risked having its Energywatch industry accreditation removed. The site had excluded British Gas, a company which pays no commission to uSwitch, from its default comparison tables.
When searching for switching deals users had to click 'No' next to the option to see 'only plans you can switch to with uSwitch' in order to see British Gas. USwitch relented and changed the default option from 'Yes' to 'No', but there is still room for confusion.
Another thing to watch out for is distortion of comparisons when energy companies are in a round of price changes. It usually tends to happen every three to six months. This is Money's fuel bills latest advice round-up will warn you of this.
In May, British Gas predicted that energy prices may rise, perhaps by as much as 30% in 2008. For this reason, fixed price tariffs, where prices are frozen for a period, could prove better value. However, many comparison websites do not differentiate between fixed price tariffs.
Suppliers often offer their cheapest prices through online tariffs. We advise that if you are looking to switch suppliers you use both comparison sites and energy suppliers directly when conducting research - start by asking your existing supplier to give you a better rate.
By Tara Evans
full article
When using a comparison site for a cheaper gas and electricity supplier it is important that you are searching all available tariffs, not just the ones that have commercial arrangements with the comparison site.
Last September price comparison website uSwitch risked having its Energywatch industry accreditation removed. The site had excluded British Gas, a company which pays no commission to uSwitch, from its default comparison tables.
When searching for switching deals users had to click 'No' next to the option to see 'only plans you can switch to with uSwitch' in order to see British Gas. USwitch relented and changed the default option from 'Yes' to 'No', but there is still room for confusion.
Another thing to watch out for is distortion of comparisons when energy companies are in a round of price changes. It usually tends to happen every three to six months. This is Money's fuel bills latest advice round-up will warn you of this.
In May, British Gas predicted that energy prices may rise, perhaps by as much as 30% in 2008. For this reason, fixed price tariffs, where prices are frozen for a period, could prove better value. However, many comparison websites do not differentiate between fixed price tariffs.
Suppliers often offer their cheapest prices through online tariffs. We advise that if you are looking to switch suppliers you use both comparison sites and energy suppliers directly when conducting research - start by asking your existing supplier to give you a better rate.
By Tara Evans
full article
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