U.N. wants water, biofuel balance

NAGOYA, Japan, Oct. 25 (UPI) -- Water used for the production of crops used for biofuels may create more problems than are solved, a U.N. environmental study found.

Achim Steiner, the executive director of the U.N. Environment Program, said in a statement that increasing the water use for biofuel production in areas where water is in short supply complicates efforts to move toward a green economy.

"There is no doubt that we need to decrease our reliance on fossil fuels and move to cleaner, more environmentally friendly options, but we need to make sure we are not creating more problems than we solve," he said in a statement.

A report on bioenergy from UNEP found that 2 percent of the world's water was used for irrigation of crops used in the production of biofuels.

The report warned that bioenergy development can alter land use and result in a reduction in water supplies for purposes such as drinking and conventional agricultural uses.

The UNEP director said the international community needed to strike a delicate balance between tackling climate change and making the most out of vital resources.

"Biofuel production has risks and opportunities," Steiner said. "We need to examine all the risks, so that we can take full advantage of the opportunities, for emissions cuts, for new green jobs, and for raising the standards of living for some of the world's poorest communities."