Jane's: Intelligence and Insight You Can
Trust
Press Release 16
July 2007
Pursuit of biofuels bring new global
security risks
The US and Brazil are among a raft of countries looking to ramp up
their biofuel* production amid concerns over the long-term supply of
traditional energy sources, bringing new concerns over global security.
Jane’s Intelligence Review reports that while biofuels offer many
advantages for producing countries, the potential long-term
environmental degradation and increased competition for land and water
resources means it cannot be viewed as a risk-free alternative to
non-renewable fuels.
Anna Gilmour, an independent analyst for Jane’s Intelligence Review
says greater use of land for biofuel production will inevitably mean a
reduction in land for food crops at a time when the rising global
population is putting increased demand on food and water supplies.
“While there is clearly a growing demand for the conversion to biofuel
production it could also expose governments to rising social unrest, as
food prices rise and poorer members of society reap few benefits from
the new ‘wondercrop’, “says Ms Gilmour. “Apart from the social unrest
and job losses, the expansion of this industry has the potential to
increase internal conflict between governments and non-state armed
groups in countries such as Colombia, Thailand, Indonesia and the
Philippines."
Efforts to clear new land for biofuel production will be strongly
opposed by non-state armed groups who may view it as a challenge for
territorial control, resulting in action and subsequently more unrest.
Jane’s Intelligence Review reports that Columbia is an example where
the potential security risks are more complicated, as large tracts of
supposedly unused land are actually used for illegal cultivation of
coca plants, from which cocaine is extracted. With most of Colombia’s
non-state armed groups heavily dependent on the lucrative cocaine
trade, efforts to repurpose this land towards biofuel production would
be strongly opposed on several fronts.
“The Colombian government lacks the military strength to provide
adequate protection to workers responsible for clearing coca and in
convincing farmers to give up the lucrative coca crop. Also, the likely
retaliation from insurgents will pose a long-term challenge to the
development of Colombia’s biofuel industry,” adds Gilmour.
Jane’s Intelligence Review says that while environmental concerns pose
long-term risk in the form of climate change, the most pressing risk
will come in the form of heightened competition for land, food and
water resources. Currently Brazil and the US are responsible for some
70 per cent of global ethanol production.
*Biofuel technically refers to any fuel extracted form a living
organism. It is now more generally used to refer to ethanol and
biodiesel, which can be extracted from plants or waste oil.
About Jane’s Intelligence Review: Jane's Intelligence Review is
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