UK Prime Minister Gordon Brown has written to fellow G8 leaders about his concerns that the rush towards biofuels to replace fossil fuels such as petroleum is “aggravating” global demand for food.
In a letter sent to Japanese Prime Minister Yasuo Fukuda on Wednesday (9 April), Mr Brown wrote: “There is growing consensus that we need urgently to examine the impact on food prices of different kinds and production methods of biofuels, and ensure that their use is responsible and sustainable.”
The British prime minister wrote that he is concerned that the rapid rise in food prices has lead to a wave of riots in the developing world in recent weeks. His letter was also sent to UN Secretary General Ban Ki Moon, the head of the IMF and the head of the World Bank.
The town of Hokkaido, Japan is set to host the 2008 G8 meeting in July, where the British prime minister wants his fellow G8 leaders to put together a package to deal with food security.
“Increased wealth and growing populations in developing countries contribute to steadily increasing global demand for grains, for food and animal feed, aggravated by rapidly increasing biofuel production,” says the UK letter.
Specifically, Mr Brown suggested that the UN, the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund work together around the areas of trade, production, technology, financial initiatives and food aid.
“Rising food prices threaten to roll back progress we have made in recent years on development. For the first time in decades, the number of people facing hunger is growing,” he said.
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