UN secretary general Ban Ki-Moon has called for a comprehensive review of biofuels policy as food prices rise potentially leading to global instability.

He told the UK’s pro-environment Guardian newspaper: “We need to be concerned about the possibility of taking land or replacing arable land because of these biofuels.”


He nevertheless added that: “While I am very much conscious and aware of these problems, at the same time you need to constantly look at having creative sources of energy, including biofuels. Therefore at this time, just criticising biofuel may not be a good solution. I would urge we need to address these issues in a comprehensive manner.”


Ki-Moon has largely favoured the use of biofuels as a substitute for fossil fuels, but this approach has come under criticism from the UN’s own food agencies. The UN’s special rapporteur on the right to food, Jean Ziegler, called biofuels “a crime against humanity”.


There have also been concerns raised about the impact of biofuels on climate change. They can be energy-intensive and some make extensive use of fertilisers which can mean they produce more greenhouse gas than comparable fossil fuels.


The Guardian noted some examples of global unrest due to rising food prices. In Indonesia 10,000 people demonstrated outside the presidential palace in Jakarta when soya been prices rose more than 50% in just a month. In the Ivory Coast there were violent protests following prediced rice price rises of 55% this year. In Bangladesh more than 50,000 people are getting emergency food after price rises. In Egypt seven people died queuing for subsidised bread. Pakisatani troops have been deployed to guard trucks carrying wheat and flour.

How well do you really know your competitors?

Access the most comprehensive Company Profiles on the market, powered by GlobalData. Save hours of research. Gain competitive edge.

Company Profile – free sample

Thank you!

Your download email will arrive shortly

Not ready to buy yet? Download a free sample

We are confident about the unique quality of our Company Profiles. However, we want you to make the most beneficial decision for your business, so we offer a free sample that you can download by submitting the below form

By GlobalData
Visit our Privacy Policy for more information about our services, how we may use, process and share your personal data, including information of your rights in respect of your personal data and how you can unsubscribe from future marketing communications. Our services are intended for corporate subscribers and you warrant that the email address submitted is your corporate email address.