The United States and European Union have both made the use of biofuels a key part of their plans to fight greenhouse gas emissions. Unfortunately both the US and EU have made corn-based ethanol their biofuel of choice, and that has been the main factor driving up world food prices according to the report. Brazil's ethanol program, which is based on sugar cane, hasn't had a negative impact on food prices.
What's really disturbing about this story though, past the rise in food prices (something that makes me wish I'd made my backyard garden a little bigger) is that the report had to be leaked. Apparently the World Bank has been sitting on their report since April so as not to cause political embarrassment to the US. George Bush has been trying to blame the increase in food prices on increased demand from growing nations like China and India.
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