biofuel impacts on world food supply use of fossil fuel, land and water resources生物燃料对世界粮食供给的影响使用化石燃料、土地和水资源.pdf

Energies 2008, 1, 41-78; DOI: 10.3390/en1010041 OPEN ACCESS energies ISSN 1996-1073 /energies Review Biofuel Impacts on World Food Supply: Use of Fossil Fuel, Land and Water Resources David Pimentel *, Alison Marklein, Megan A. Toth, Marissa Karpoff, Gillian S. Paul, Robert McCormack, Joanna Kyriazis and Tim Krueger 5126 Comstock Hall, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853, USA * Author to whom correspondence should be addressed; E-mail: Dp18@ Received: 29 July 2008 / Accepted: 11 September 2008 / Published: 16 September 2008 __________________________________________________________________________________ Abstract: The rapidly growing world population and rising consumption of biofuels are increasing demand for both food and biofuels. This exaggerates both food and fuel shortages. Using food crops such as corn grain to produce ethanol raises major nutritional and ethical concerns. Nearly 60% of humans in the world are currently malnourished, so the need for grains and other basic foods is critical. Growing crops for fuel squanders land, water and energy resources vital for the production of food for human consumption. Using corn for ethanol increases the price of U.S. beef, chicken, pork, eggs, breads, cereals, and milk more than 10% to 30%. Keywords: agriculture, biofuels, energy, food security, fossil fuels, natural resources, renewable energy. __________________________________________________________________________________ 1. Introduction With shortages of fossil energy, especiall