Expectativas explosivas en torno a los agrocombustibles

The document critiques the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) for promoting large-scale biofuel monocultures as a 'clean energy' solution. It argues that these projects, particularly in Brazil and Colombia, lead to deforestation, biodiversity loss, and rural displacement while failing to provide significant greenhouse gas reductions. The report calls for a shift toward small-scale, decentralized energy systems that support local food security and rural development.

• Large-scale biofuel production from monocultures is not a viable solution for climate change or poverty reduction, as land conversion often releases more greenhouse gases than the fossil fuels they replace.
• The Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) has aggressively returned to biofuel lending, approving US$45-46 million in loans and technical cooperation since 2005, with nearly US$3 billion planned for private sector projects focused on export infrastructure.
• In Brazil, the expansion of sugarcane for ethanol and soy for biodiesel is devastating the Cerrado savanna and threatening the Amazon, while causing soil erosion and water eutrophication due to excessive chemical use.
• Biofuel projects in Brazil, such as those in Minas Gerais and Goias, displace traditional family farming and dairy production, leading to rural unemployment and increased reliance on migrant labor for 'cruel' harvesting work.
• The IDB's environmental monitoring is criticized as insufficient, exemplified by the Moema debt restructuring project, which was classified as 'Category C' (insignificant impact) despite its massive scale and potential for ecosystem damage.
• In Colombia, the expansion of oil palm plantations has been linked to large-scale deforestation and severe human rights violations, including illegal land seizures and paramilitary violence against Afro-Colombian communities in the Chocó region.
• Biofuel promotion in the Caribbean and Central America, supported by the IDB and trade agreements like CAFTA, risks creating food insecurity and dependence on imported food, particularly in Haiti.

APA

Friends of the Earth International (2008). Expectativas explosivas en torno a los agrocombustibles. https://www.foei.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/agrocombustibleweb2.pdf

Chicago

Friends of the Earth International. Expectativas explosivas en torno a los agrocombustibles. 2008. https://www.foei.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/agrocombustibleweb2.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=Friends of the Earth International |title=Expectativas explosivas en torno a los agrocombustibles |date=July 2008 |url=https://www.foei.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/agrocombustibleweb2.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{friendsoftheearthinternational2008expectativas, author = {{Friends of the Earth International}}, title = {{Expectativas explosivas en torno a los agrocombustibles}}, institution = {Friends of the Earth International}, year = {2008}, month = jul, url = {https://www.foei.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/agrocombustibleweb2.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }