Growing crops for fuel is not the solution to climate change according to members of a Leamington environmental group. Since April all petrol and diesel sold in the UK has to include at least 2.5 per cent biofuels. These renewable fuels are made from crops such as sugar cane or maize, but according to critics are not as environmentally sound as many would imagine.

Under new plans the European Union intends to increase the amount of biofuels used in transport fuel by 2020. But Friends of the Earth's Leamington and Warwick members think the idea is "crazy". Co-ordinator Brigitta Ashworth said: "Biofuels are a false solution to climate change. They are making it worse and pushing food prices through the roof - it's crazy that the EU wants us to put more of them in our petrol.

"There are some good biofuels, such as used chip fat. "But the amount of fossil fuels used to process corn into ethanol - from driving tractors and artificial fertilisers - means you only make a 20 per cent fuel gain. "At the same time you are losing all this food, which is one of the reasons why food prices have increased." Mrs Ashworth also said turning sugar cane into fuel had lead to deforestation and farmers being displaced in the developing world.

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The EU had wanted ten per cent of all road transport fuel to come from biofuels by 2020. But after a 'rethink' a committee of the European Parliament has now voted to limit such fuels to six per cent of the target. Friends of the Earth is asking Member of the European Parliament Phillip Bushill-Matthews, who lives in Harbury, to support this decision.

Last week the group delivered more than 300 postcards signed by residents supporting their campaign to him. Mrs Ashworth added: "We are delighted that many MEPs have supported our stance against this proposed expansion of biofuels use, and we would urge Mr Bushill-Matthews to vote for these revisions this month. "What we need instead are real green transport solutions to reduce our dangerous dependence on fossil fuels – like smarter cars that burn less fuel and better public transport."

(Warwick Courier, 13/10/2008)