I feel frustrated by the news this week that the EU is re-thinking its targets for biodiesel in light of the rise in food prices partly prompted by the channellling of grain to gas production. Frustrated because biodiesel isn’t a panaceae but it’s a start and it’s getting kicked from all sides before its even gotten started. Frustrated because the EU’s targets were modest in the first place and hardly enough to dent CO2 emissions. But I am mostly frustrated by the veracity of this: yes, if we grow grain for use as fuel, it’s not going to get eaten. But we vegetarians have been decrying diversion of grain for fuel for years – when it becomes fuel for ruminants, for the cows and pigs that meat-eaters choose to put in their shopping baskets and mouths. It’s an unjust calculation, when you think of all that food getting fed to animals destined for early death when children die daily for want of a bowl of gruel.
Archive for January 18, 2008
Sea levels in the Mediterranean may rise half metre in 50 years
A study by the Spanish Oceanographic Society predicts an uncertain future for the Spanish coastline: sea levels rising up to 50cm in 50 years, which would threaten large swathes of prime tourist real estate. In this article in El Pais, scientists report that the Mediterranean sea has risen by 8 cm since 1950, shallow waters have warmed by 0.12-0.5′C and that salinity has also increased. This finding is in concordance with the reports by the International Panel on Climate Change during their meeting in Valencia in 2007.
My personal observation is not scientific at all, but here in Altea, I walk past a stretch of beach that was once passable on foot but which is now permanently underwater. However, it is in reclaimed land what is the beach today was underwater 15 years ago, before we paved our way to parking heaven.
