Studies: Biofuels worsen greenhouse gases

WASHINGTON, Feb. 8 (UPI) -- A pair of new studies conclude the production of plant-based biofuels poses its own risk of greenhouse gas emissions.

The research published in the journal Science concluded that converting forests into cropland worldwide would eliminate a significant amount of carbon absorption and offset much of the positive effects of biofuels.

The conclusions are based on the idea that forests and even scrub brush absorb far more carbon than do agricultural crops such as corn and soybeans.

"When you take this into account, most of the biofuel that people are using or planning to use would probably increase greenhouse gases substantially," Princeton's Timothy Searchinger, a lead author of one of the studies, told The New York Times. "Previously there's been an accounting error: land use change has been left out of prior analysis."

The research could have political implications if it throws a wrench into U.S. strategy of developing biofuels as a cleaner-burning alternative to gasoline.

The Times said a group of prominent climate scientists sent a letter Friday to President George Bush and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., urging changes in U.S. biofuel policy.