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The vote to support the call for an EU Moratorium on large scale biofuel monocultures (known as agrofuels) is now enshrined in Green Party policy along with a host of other precautionary elements aimed at preventing runaway global warming through accelerated deforestation. The moratorium, launched by a nucleus of NGOs, has now been signed by nearly 200 environmental and humanitarian organisations across the globe.

The strength of the vote reflects a growing concern by the general public in the last six months that agrofuels may be causing significantly more harm than good. On top of the destruction of ecosystems, agrofuels are precipitating a human rights problem of epic proportions as agrofuel speculators are seizing arable land as well as evicting indigenous peoples from their forest homes. Food prices are escalating, putting basic staples outside of the reach of families living close to the bread line - even in European countries, as evidenced by Italy's 'pasta strike' last week and rising UK bread prices.

Caroline Lucas, Green MEP, who signed the EU Moratorium soon after it was first launched in July, said:
"We have to de-couple the food and oil markets - by cutting agriculture's dependence on oil, by promoting local and organic food systems where possible and reversing the UK's current enthusiasm for international trade in food, and, crucially, ensure EU energy policies do not promote bio-fuel production at the expense of foodstuffs.

"The problem of food insecurity risks being exacerbated by EU energy policy, which calls for the large-scale cultivation of crops for conversion into bio-fuels, thus creating competition between food and energy for agricultural resources.

"This in turn will decrease the amount of land given over to food production as energy prices rise - causing global food shortages exactly when we should be boosting food production to maintain stable prices.

"To avoid jumping from the frying pan of climate change into the fire of food poverty it's now time for the EU to abandon its proposed biofuel targets and incentives legislation."<