Food Crisis Starts Eclipsing Climate Change Worries, Gore has no answers.?

Question

Food Crisis Starts Eclipsing Climate Change Worries

Gore Ducks, as a Backlash Builds Against Biofuels

With prices for rice, wheat, and corn soaring, food-related unrest has broken out in places such as Haiti, Indonesia, and Afghanistan. Several countries have blocked the export of grain. There is even talk that governments could fall if they cannot bring food costs down.

One factor being blamed for the price hikes is the use of government subsidies to promote the use of corn for ethanol production. An estimated 30% of America’s corn crop now goes to fuel, not food.

Mr. Senauer said climate change advocates, such as Vice President Gore, need to distance themselves from ethanol to avoid tarnishing the effort against global warming. “Crop-based biofuels are not part of the solution. Mr. Gore was not available for an interview yesterday on the food crisis, according to his spokeswoman. A spokesman for Mr. Gore’s public campaign to address climate change, declined comment.

Answer 1

There is some truth to this.

But, biofuels are a minor part of the current food problem.  We just don't use enough of them to make a serious difference.  Far larger is drought (which may be related to global warming), and countries getting richer and eating more meat, which takes a lot of grain.

But, most important, this is a preview of what will happen if we do nothing about global warming.  Damage to agriculture caused by that will make these food shortages pale by comparison.

Bringing up Al Gore is just a debating trick.  He has nothing to do with global warming science.  What he does or says is not proof of anything.

Answer 2

The Governor of Texas has asked the administration to stop the mandate of ethanol as an oxygenate for gasoline and, presumably, return to MTBE.  One of the reasons for his request is the one stated in your question.

In some ways, global warming would be good for the food shortage in that it would expand the temperate belt northward.

Answer 3

dx said:

"Don't blame producers for seeking the best price. Quit whining."

Yes. The starving poor should quit whining. Get over it.

P.S. Al Gore has everything to do with this.

Answer 4

The propagation of Global Warming is allowing the oil Co. to rob us and U are helping....

Answer 5

A THOUGHT= ASTRANAUTS= take pills when in space, no cooking up their in the space lab. pills that suffice each as a meal. so why not put these kinds of pills on the market. it would stop hunger, use in place of dieting for obesity. stop starvation. like i say just a thought.

Answer 6

The prices of wheat and corn have not kept up with other costs for the last 50 years.  Consumers have been eating a free lunch at the expense of grain farmers for decades.  In 1962 oil was $3 per barrel and wheat was $2 per bushel.  Now oil is $118 per barrel and wheat is $10 per bushel.  Most of the agricultural inputs such as diesel, fertilizer and pesticides are based on oil.   If wheat had kept up with rising costs it would be $80 per bushel now and is arguably worth more because wheat is edible and oil isn't.  Don't blame producers for seeking the best price.  Quit whining.  Canadian and American farmers do not owe the rest of the world a free lunch any more than the rest of the world owes us free oil.  

Note that if there was 10% more grain, the human population could grow another 10% before running into shortages again.     The diversion of grain into biofuels merely creates a problem 5 years sooner than population growth would.

PS Al Gore has nothing to do with this issue.

Answer 7

Having earned $100 million by trading "carbon credits", Al Gore doesn't care as he can well afford to feed himself.