Biofuel Farms Increase CO2 Emissions

Washington (dbTechno) - Scientists have found that transforming ecosystems into biofuel crops increases global warming as it causes the level of CO2 emissions to increase.

Scientists have found that changing over locations such as rainforests, and other nature spots can cause more damage than good.

U.S. researchers figured out how long it would take to convert natural ecosystems into farms which could grow corn or sugarcane to produce ethanol, or biodiesel.

Joe Fargione, scientists from the environmental group The Nature Conservancy stated “Does the carbon you lose by converting forests, grasslands, and peatlands outweigh the carbon you save by using biofuels instead of fossil fuels? And surprisingly, the answer is no.”

The study took into consideration the fact that after centuries, it could pay off, but for the next hundred years or more it would only make global warming worse.

Stephen Polasky, one of the authors of the study from the University of Minnesota stated “We don’t have proper incentives in place because landowners are rewarded for producing palm oil and other products but not rewarded for carbon management. This creates incentives for excessive land clearing and can result in large increases in carbon emissions.”

The European Union is currently looking over a pledge that by 2020, biofuels should make up 10% of transport fuel used.