You can't blame the richer countrys for eating more food, can you? Haha.
Bad arguement, the rich don't eat more bread and rice, but go for the more exotic foods to eat.
Mike, many of these "exotic" foods require a four to seven-fold increase in the grain/feed needed to raise the increasingly popular meats.
A discussion about the wisdom of
Biofuels has arisen on the climate change thread, "Zealotry...."
I'll just re-post some of the information from...
http://www.scienceagogo.com/forum/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=25763#Post25763(beginning of biofuel discussion)
...
http://www.scienceagogo.com/forum/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=25975#Post25975Actually, 70-90% of the "food crisis" is due to factors other than biofuels.
Increased variation of weather leading to declining harvests, esp. Asia & Australia (2007).
Increased demand (population).
Increased demand for higher quality food (higher up the food chain -requiring more (4x - 7x) feedstock/grains).
Increased costs of transportation.
Increased costs of fuel and fertilizer.
Increased hoarding (market speculation, commoditization of foods as gold/oil/etc.). ..source:
http://www.c-span.org/videoarchives.asp?CatCodePairs=,
The House Republican Policy Committee hosts a roundtable discussion on biofuels and the world's food supply. While some researchers believe biofuels account for more than a quarter of rising food prices, others look to growing demand in China and India.
5/5/2008: WASHINGTON, DC:
The Millennium Development Goals (MDGs):
"We will have time to reach the Millennium Development Goals – worldwide and in most, or even all, individual countries – but only if we break with business as usual."
~United Nations Secretary-General
=
1. Eradicate extreme poverty and hunger
2. Achieve universal primary education
3. Promote gender equality and empower women
4. Reduce child mortality
5. Improve maternal health
6. Combat HIV/AIDS, malaria, and other diseases
7. Ensure environmental sustainability
8. Develop a global partnership for development
Note especially, MDG numbers 1 & 7.
Solutions for either of these (any of these) should not conflict with the others.
Does this sound reasonable?
