|
|
|
|
Red Latinoamericana contra el monocultivo de árboles (RECOMA)
Comunicaciones OLCA, 28 de septiembre de 2007
Español
Latin American Network calls on the European Union to abandon its 10%
biofuel target
The Latin American Network against Monoculture Tree Plantations
(RECOMA) expresses its support to the Call sent to the EU by a number
of organizations from all over the world demanding it to abandon its
10% biofuel target.
Based on the experience in our own countries we can confirm that what
the Call states in the following paragraph fully reflects the situation:
"Most biofuels are produced from large-scale monocultures and
accelerate global warming by speeding up the destruction of forests,
peatlands, healthy soils and other ecosystems which are carbon sinks
and which help to regulate the climate. Biofuel monocultures promote
ecosystem destruction both directly and by displacement of other
activities. Social impacts include increased rural depopulation,
health impacts, land conflicts and human rights violations."
Impacts such as those have occurred in countries where soy, sugar cane
and oil palm monocultures have expanded, such as in the cases of
Argentina, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, Paraguay, Uruguay, Venezuela.
The use of crops such as those for the production of biofuels would
further aggravate their already proven social and environmental impacts.
We also confirm the Call's concern regarding the following:
"Also, since most second-generation biofuels are expected to be
cellulose based, this is likely to spur the expansion of large scale
tree plantations in the South, no less damaging than first generation
biofuel crops."
There is practically no country in the region where large areas of
eucalyptus monocultures are not being or have not been planted,
entailing severe social and environmental impacts. Their use for the
production of biofuels would further increase their proven impacts.
We therefore reaffirm the Call's conclusion that "The only way of
cutting our transport emissions is demand reduction, this means
reducing levels of individual road transport as well as mandatory fuel
efficiency standards."
Based on the above, we adhere to the call on the European Union to
abandon its 10% biofuel target.
The Latin American Network against Monoculture Tree Plantations (RECOMA)
RECOMA is represented in the following countries:
Argentina, Brasil, Bolivia, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Ecuador, El
Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, México, Nicaragua, Paraguay, Perú,
Uruguay and Venezuela.
OLCA is RECOMA's focal point in Chile
WRM International Secretariat
www.wrm.org.uy
recoma@internet.com.uy
|
|