Overview

Agrofuels were heralded as a key weapon in the fight against climate change, but the deforestation and theft of agricultural land that was essential to farmers in the developing world, suggests that they are doing more harm than good. Francois Houtart argues that the green potential of agrofuels has been hijacked by businesses that put profits above environmental protection. This has led to the absurd situation where an energy source that should be sustainable actually increases human and ecological damage, simply due to the profit-maximising decisions of capitalists rather than a flaw in the concept of agrofuels. Houtart reveals that we need to rethink neoliberalism's relationship to green politics and ask is capitalism compatible with climate change, or do we need to overhaul our economic system in order to save the planet? ""

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9780745330129

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This book presents the issue of agrofuels within the global context of the capitalist economy, stressing the role played by the oligopolies in promoting 'green energy'. Agrofuels provide no solution for the climate and they are marginal to the energy crisis. Above all they serve the interests of capitalist accumulation. This is the best book so far written on the subject. -- Samir Amin, Director of the Third World Forum in Dakar This book is a unique and important contribution to the debate on agrofuels. Firstly, it ... offers a much-needed political economic perspective on the issue. Secondly, Houtart dares to question the sustainability of the lifestyle encouraged by our consumer society. This book is therefore vital reading for all those interested not only in the question of agrofuels, but also in the direction of our civilisation and its shameful waste of natural resources. -- Professor Olivier De Schutter, UN Special Rapporteur on the right to food That solutions can be the causes of problems is well known and brilliantly illustrated by Francois Houtart's account of the nature, role and impact of agrofuels. Technically sound, socially thorough and politically grounded, it is also compassionate - see his personal account of the disaster for the poor wrought by agrofuels in Colombia. A highly recommended, balanced primer for anyone who wants to understand why agrofuels are spreading, who benefits from them and why we should - mostly - oppose them. -- Susan George, Honorary President of ATTAC-France and President of the Board of the Transnational Institute

That solutions can be the causes of problems is well known and brilliantly illustrated by Francois Houtart's account of the nature, role and impact of agrofuels. Technically sound, socially thorough and politically grounded, it is also compassionate - see his personal account of the disaster for the poor wrought by agrofuels in Colombia. A highly recommended, balanced primer for anyone who wants to understand why agrofuels are spreading, who benefits from them and why we should - mostly - oppose them. -- Susan George, Honorary President of ATTAC-France and President of the Board of the Transnational Institute This book is a unique and important contribution to the debate on agrofuels. Firstly, it ... offers a much-needed political economic perspective on the issue. Secondly, Houtart dares to question the sustainability of the lifestyle encouraged by our consumer society. This book is therefore vital reading for all those interested not only in the question of agrofuels, but also in the direction of our civilisation and its shameful waste of natural resources. -- Professor Olivier De Schutter, UN Special Rapporteur on the right to food This book presents the issue of agrofuels within the global context of the capitalist economy, stressing the role played by the oligopolies in promoting 'green energy'. Agrofuels provide no solution for the climate and they are marginal to the energy crisis. Above all they serve the interests of capitalist accumulation. This is the best book so far written on the subject. -- Samir Amin, Director of the Third World Forum in Dakar

Author Information

François Houtart was Professor Emeritus of Sociology at the Université Catholique de Louvain. He is the author of Agrofuels: Big Profits, Ruined Lives and Ecological Destruction (Pluto, 2010) amongst author books. He was chief editor of the journal Social Compass, and the editor of Alternatives Sud. He was the joint winner of the UNESCO Madanjeet Singh Prize 2009 for the promotion of tolerance and non-violence. Walden Bello is an author, academic and political analyst. He is a professor of sociology and public administration at the University of the Philippines. He is the co-author of Dark Victory: The United States, Structural Adjustment and Global Poverty (Pluto, 1998).

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