ACTION ALERT: Demand a full examination of Bill C-33 on biofuels

June 25, 2008

The Canadian Biotechnology Action Network (CBAN) has noted that Bill C-33, An Act to amend the Canadian Environmental Protection Act, would allow the federal government to implement regulations requiring 5% average renewable content in gasoline by 2010. Subsequent regulations would also require 2% average renewable content in diesel and heating oil by 2012 on successful demonstration of renewable diesel fuel use under the range of Canadian environmental conditions.

A position paper from Via Campesina states, "The current massive wave of investment in energy production based on cultivating and industrial processing of vegetal materials like corn, soy, palm oil, sugar cane, canola, etc, will neither solve the climate crisis nor the energy crisis. It will also bring disastrous social and environmental consequences. It creates a new and very serious threat to food production by small farmers and to the attainment of food sovereignty for the world population." To read the full position paper, please go to… Via Campesina position paper on biofuels »

Additionally, the Beyond Factory Farming Coalition notes, “When soil acidification, fertilizer use, water use, biodiversity loss and toxicity of agricultural pesticides are taken into account, the overall environmental impacts of ethanol and biodiesel may well exceed those of gasoline and diesel. It is unlikely that crop based biofuel can deliver a major contribution to the energy demands of the transport sector without compromising food prices and the environment." To read their brief on C-33, go to…- Beyond Factory Farming Coalition brief on Bill C-33 »

TAKE ACTION

Bill C-33 is due to be passed this Thursday June 26. Write to the Senate Committee today to ask for a full examination of Bill C-33 in the Fall, in order to give Canadians more time to become involved in this critical debate. Email addresses for the members of the Standing Senate Committee on Energy, the Environment and Natural Resources can be found at http://www.cban.ca/Resources/Topics/Agrofuels/Senators-contacts