[NYTr] BP Exec Pie-Killed; BioFuels Confrence Disrupted and Canceled

[All the News That Doesn't Fit]

sent by marcus - activ-l

BP Executive pied as Europe's largest BioFuels Event disrupted 

Date: 17th October, 2007 
Embargo: Immediate Release 

CONTACT: 
07880 937 511 (UK)
+44 7880 937 511 (outside UK)

Newark Showground, Newark, Nottinghamshire 
http://www.indymedia.org.uk/en/2007/10/383831.html

This morning a group of 15 climate change activists from protest group
Food Not Fuel entered the BioFuel Expo & Conference taking place at the
Newark Showground and took over the keynote speech. Oliver Mace, CEO of
BP Fuels, the lead sponsors of the event recieved a cream pie in the
face. Another campaigner was D-locked to the podium and various alarms
were placed around the place. The hall was emptied and talks were
canceled. There were no arrests. 

They were protesting against planned expansion of biofuels citing its
contribution to deforestation and the fact that it will continue to
contribute to climate change. The activists complained that biofuels on
a large scale is greenwash and companies such as BP are ignoring its
negative impacts on the environment. 

Protester Michelle Lynch said, "What they are promoting is a
replacement to fossil fuels, but the reality is that they are little
better. Large scale plantations are not the solution; reducing our
consumption is the only realistic way forward." 

Another protester, Thomas Bradshaw pointed out, "Biofuels will be
taking food from the mouths of the hungry when there are already 800
million people suffering from malnutrition. These corporations are
effectively encouraging the erosion of valuable ariable farmland and
rainforests vital for combating climate change." 

-end- 

Notes for editors: 

1. The protestors can be contacted at 07880 937 511. Their critique
argues that radical social change is needed to deal with the impact of
peak oil and climate change, and that seeking solutions such as carbon
trading and biofuels are not the answer, as the real problem is
unsustainable economic growth. 

2. The BioFuels Expo & Conference (www.biodiesel-expo.co.uk) is the
largest of its kind in Europe, and brings together big industry players
such as BP Fuels, Deloitte & Touche and many chemcial, agricultural and
manufacturing companies. 

3. A comprehensive critique of biofuels can be found at BioFuels Watch
(www.biofuelwatch.org.uk) who are a distinct group from Food Not Fuels,
but are hosting their own demonstration against the Conference. 

4. Text of leaflet distribute to attendees. 

Biofuels & Fossil Fuels: Biofuels that are not produced by recycling
waste oil are the direct product of large scale monoculture. Currently
the amount of fossil fuels required to produce biofuels is greater than
the amount of fuel you get out: you have to make the fertilizer, run
the agricultural machinery, transport the feedstocks and fuels, and
refine the plant matter into fuel. 

Biofuels & Food: The land that is used to farm biofuels has to come from
somewhere. If it is agricultural land used for food then there will be
less food. Maize, Mexico's staple crop, have increased massively due to
American demand for bioethano. Adding to the number of people living
below the poverty line. 

Biofuels & Land use: If not agricultural land, then biofuels will be
grown on virgin rainforest or wetland. 1/3 of all greenhouse gas
emissions come from the destruction of living carbon sinks. The Amazon
rainforest is the largest driver of the climate on the planet and
expanding bioethanol plantations will push it to extinction. Wetlands,
eg peat, contain more carbon that the whole atmosphere and cover just
1% of the worlds surface. The largest peat bogs in the world, in
Indonesia, are currently being drained for palm oil plantations. If
greenhouse gas emissions continue as they currently are we will go
beyond the climate tipping point causing mass extinction of life on
earth. 

Biofuels & Local Control: The driving force behind the expansion in
biofuels are big corporations such as BP & Monsanto, and government -
the very people who have got us into this mess. They are using biofuels
as a way to continue their position of power into the post peak oil
world. To stand a chance of survival the control of land must be by
local people for local people. 

The Solution: We will need to reduce our consumption to levels that we
can meet ourselves. This WILL mean a reduction in luxuries, like the
luxury to travel. Some biofuels will be used, but at a fraction of our
current oil use. We need to end the search for technological solutions
to economic problems. We need to localise our economy, produce our own
food, make our own tools and use less. 

We need an end to economic growth. 
Food Not Fuels 
e-mail: foodnotfuel1 at yahoo.co.uk