Brown warned over rising price of food
GORDON Brown has been warned that the rising price of food could threaten economic stability and could lead to further rioting across the globe.
The warning came at a summit of world leaders in Watford last week, which drew together some of the world’s most influential politicians including former US president Bill Clinton.
Delegates warned Mr Brown that rising demand, supply shortages and the move into biofuels were a threat to economic and social stability.
Many at the meeting blamed biofuels for the rise in prices and called for an intelligent debate on the future of energy supply.
Mr Clinton told delegates that unless the issue of biofuels is reviewed, then the problems are only likely to get worse.
He said: “If the world goes from 6.5 to 9.5 billion people and people have more money and the production of food remains as energy intensive as it is today then what we are seeing today is a walk in the park compared to what we are going to see over the next 15 years.”
He called for a ‘sophisticated’ discussion with world leaders, to find out which methods of production work, and how they can have minimal impact on food production.
He said: “We need to sort out what kind of biofuels production works and what doesn’t. How can you do it without depleting the soil and without using too much water? How can we do it without taking land away from traditional food production?
“What is really hurting the food market is America moving into corn-based ethanol, which has driven up the price of corn and driven up the price of wheat.
“You have pasta riots in Italy related to what some people are doing in farming in America.”
Other world leaders joined the discussion, with the UN high commissioner for refugees António Guterres warning that food security was ‘the biggest problem today’ in democratic countries around the world.
The World Bank last week delivered a stark warning over the rising price of food, saying that the price of staple foods has risen 80 per cent in the last three years.
The rise in food prices has continued to spark riots around the world and this week at least four people were killed and 20 wounded in Haiti as people rampaged through the streets, looting shops and opening fire on UN peacekeepers.
The warning came at a summit of world leaders in Watford last week, which drew together some of the world’s most influential politicians including former US president Bill Clinton.
Delegates warned Mr Brown that rising demand, supply shortages and the move into biofuels were a threat to economic and social stability.
Many at the meeting blamed biofuels for the rise in prices and called for an intelligent debate on the future of energy supply.
Mr Clinton told delegates that unless the issue of biofuels is reviewed, then the problems are only likely to get worse.
He said: “If the world goes from 6.5 to 9.5 billion people and people have more money and the production of food remains as energy intensive as it is today then what we are seeing today is a walk in the park compared to what we are going to see over the next 15 years.”
He called for a ‘sophisticated’ discussion with world leaders, to find out which methods of production work, and how they can have minimal impact on food production.
He said: “We need to sort out what kind of biofuels production works and what doesn’t. How can you do it without depleting the soil and without using too much water? How can we do it without taking land away from traditional food production?
“What is really hurting the food market is America moving into corn-based ethanol, which has driven up the price of corn and driven up the price of wheat.
“You have pasta riots in Italy related to what some people are doing in farming in America.”
Other world leaders joined the discussion, with the UN high commissioner for refugees António Guterres warning that food security was ‘the biggest problem today’ in democratic countries around the world.
The World Bank last week delivered a stark warning over the rising price of food, saying that the price of staple foods has risen 80 per cent in the last three years.
The rise in food prices has continued to spark riots around the world and this week at least four people were killed and 20 wounded in Haiti as people rampaged through the streets, looting shops and opening fire on UN peacekeepers.