2009

Q&A with Dr Camila Moreno
16 April 2009

Dr Camila Moreno is on the frontline in the fight for human rights and environmental justice in Brazil.

Biofuels are fuels that come from crops. They sound green but on a large industrial scale, in the pursuit of profits, they are causing increased food prices and massive deforestation and may make climate change worse.

Q. How did you get involved with Friends of the Earth's biofuels campaign?

A. I'm a human rights, and land rights campaigner. I work with the peasants in Brazil. I can see the land grab associated with biofuels having a terrible impact, both on people and wildlife.

Q What effect does it have?

A. Multinational companies are using huge areas of land to grow crops for fuel instead of food. This is accelerating deforestation and loss of natural diversity.

GM biofuel crops are also being used and companies are ruthlessly suppressing any opposition. One European company hired a private militia who shot and killed a peasant leader. He was a father of three.

Q. What are you doing about it?

A. Everything we can. We protest, we go through the courts and, here in Europe, we are trying to convince the politicians that European biofuels targets will increase the problems in my country, by increasing demand for these fuels.

Q. What's the solution?

A. Europe and other rich countries must live within their means.

By demanding that land outside Europe is converted to grow biofuels they are threatening Brazil's natural world and making climate change worse. We cannot let this go on.

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Friends of the Earth is part of a global federation of 77 national groups committed to protecting biodiversity and campaigning for a healthier planet.

Thanks to all of you who responded to our biofuels appeal last year. Read more about Friends of the Earth's work on biofuels.

Camila Moreno

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