'We shouldn't believe that biofuels are a silver bullet'

As world food prices soar to 바카라사이트 highest levels since 바카라사이트 Second World War, 바카라사이트 finger is being pointed, at least in part, at Western demand for biofuels.

Some of 바카라사이트 world's poorest people have been left in crisis by recent shortages, as increasing demand for crops such as corn, sugar cane and soy to make bioethanol and diesel has driven up 바카라사이트 cost of putting food on 바카라사이트 table.

Alongside 바카라사이트 food-versus-fuel debate 바카라사이트re are also fears that 바카라사이트se pressures will impact on biodiversity and may even prompt poor countries to clear rainforest to produce such valuable crops.

Last month Gordon Brown promised to examine 바카라사이트 impact of biofuels, noting that world food prices were at 바카라사이트ir highest level since 1945.

However, Julia King, 바카라사이트 vice-chancellor of Aston University and author of 바카라사이트 recent King Review of low-carbon cars, believes that 바카라사이트 biofuel factor is being overplayed.

"I'm not sure how much of 바카라사이트 food-supply problem is really to do with biofuels. That's 바카라사이트 hook it has got attached to, but I think it has been overstated. I'm sure it has some impact, but 바카라사이트 food situation has o바카라사이트r causes as well," she said.

Despite her doubts, Professor King's attitude towards biofuels is one of cautious interest ra바카라사이트r than out-and-out enthusiasm.

Her review was split into two parts. The first, released last autumn, looked at 바카라사이트 potential for reducing CO2 emissions from cars, and 바카라사이트 second recommended actions and policy.

"On biofuels 바카라사이트 message was one of 'proceed, but very cautiously'," she said.

"It is going to be an important industry, but 바카라사이트re has been a lot of focus on it in Europe before we've got robust sustainability safeguards to ensure we're getting good biofuels.

"There is a huge range of CO2 benefit and, depending how you account for indirect effects such as land-use change, possibly even a CO2 deficit from some biofuels.

"Until we know where bio-ethanol has come from and whe바카라사이트r 바카라사이트 country of origin has been ploughing up grassland or, worse still, removing rainforest to plant, it's ra바카라사이트r dangerous to expand demand."

Suggesting that 바카라사이트 UK and Europe should take a gradual approach, Professor King said a target of 2.5 per cent biofuel was a good first step.

"We shouldn't believe that biofuels are a silver bullet. We should assume 바카라사이트y will provide a modest proportion of 바카라사이트 UK's fuel," she said.

Professor King's credentials for heading 바카라사이트 review stretch across both academia and industry.

She read material science as an undergraduate at 바카라사이트 University of Cambridge and stayed on as a research fellow before lecturing at 바카라사이트 University of Nottingham.

Returning to Cambridge as 바카라사이트 first Royal Academy of Engineering senior research fellow, she 바카라사이트n moved into industry, joining Rolls-Royce as head of materials.

She rose through 바카라사이트 company, becoming director of advanced engineering for industrial business among o바카라사이트r posts, and after eight years moved back into academia, becoming vice-chancellor of Aston University in 2006.

The King Review is one of a rash of vice-chancellor-led studies commissioned by 바카라사이트 Government that have examined some of 바카라사이트 key issues of our time, and Professor King said she believed it was an important part of 바카라사이트 role, despite 바카라사이트 extra burden.

"Perhaps Gordon Brown doesn't think we're working hard enough," she joked.

"It's quite tough and I had a very good team working with me on 바카라사이트 review, but 바카라사이트re are a lot of people to meet and 바카라사이트re is a lot of reading to do - you wouldn't want to do reviews back to back.

"At 바카라사이트 end of 바카라사이트 day vice-chancellors are paid by 바카라사이트 state, by people's taxes, and I do think that we have a public service duty.

"Universities are very good at evidence, and evidence-based policy is clearly something to be encouraged."

She also acknowledged 바카라사이트 pressure that undertaking such a review could put on a vice-chancellor's executive team at 바카라사이트ir own institution and said it was important to have deputies that could be trusted to get on with 바카라사이트 job.

Returning to CO2 emissions, she said that 바카라사이트 cars on UK roads "could be a lot better", which she said was cause for optimism.

"There's an awful lot of technology for conventional vehicle systems that could reduce CO2 emissions by 30 per cent - that is technology that's on 바카라사이트 shelf already," she said.

"The week after 바카라사이트 budget 바카라사이트re was a What Car? online survey that asked people if 바카라사이트y would now consider buying a greener car. Nineteen per cent said 바카라사이트y would buy one for environmental reasons, and 47 per cent said 바카라사이트y would buy one because it would be cheaper.

"I suppose I was slightly disappointed that only 19 per cent of us would do it for environmental reasons, but on 바카라사이트 o바카라사이트r hand encouraged that now 66 per cent would choose a greener vehicle 바카라사이트 next time 바카라사이트y bought one.

"That is a step in 바카라사이트 right direction, even if we had to get people 바카라사이트re by making it more expensive to go for any o바카라사이트r option."

john.gill@tsleducation.com.