Commenting on Prime Minister David Cameron’s ‘Hunger Summit’ today (Sunday 12 August), Friends of the Earth’s Senior Land, Food and Water Campaigner Vicki Hird said:

“Around one billion people are going hungry worldwide, yet there is plenty of food to feed people right now. If David Cameron is serious about tackling rising food prices and global hunger his priority must be to push wealthy countries, including the UK, to stop the use of biofuels made from crops.

“Burning food for fuel in our cars in the face of global starvation is unethical and unnecessary in the fight against climate change as it increases pollution emissions rather than reducing them.

“Global leaders need to act decisively to regulate financial speculation on agricultural markets, end the vast amounts of food currently wasted, and support planet friendly farming that meets the needs of local communities.”

ENDS

Notes to editors

1.            Please see Friends of the Earth’s updated briefing ‘Solving the Global Food crisis’ published in August 2012 here.

2.            Friends of the Earth’s joint briefing with Action Aid and RSPB on biofuels published in 2011 ‘A briefing on the current state of biofuel policy in the UK and ways forward’ can be read here.