Timothy Searchinger: Biofuels vs Foods and Major Climate Change Policy Errors – #23

Steve and Corey talk to Tim Searchinger about the unintended consequences of biofuels policies. Searchinger argues that these policies do not consider the opportunity costs of using plants for fuel rather than food. Combined with crazy carbon accounting principles, existing rules make cutting down trees in the US, shipping them to Europe and burning them in power plants count as carbon neutral under the Kyoto protocol. The three also discuss how eating less beef in the developed world along with educating women, family planning, and reducing child mortality in the developing world can decrease stress on land use and emissions.ResourcesTranscriptCreating a Sustainable Food Future: A Menu of Solutions to Feed Nearly 10 Billion People by 2050Timothy Searchinger