WORLD HUNGER AND BIOFUELS

That this House notes that the number of hungry and malnourished people has passed the one billion mark, in part because of rising food prices; further notes the comment by Oliver De Schutter, UN rapporteur on the right to food, that the November 2009 UN Food Summit declaration text omits to mention the diversion of arable land to biofuels, being a major contributor to rising food prices; further notes that several major scientific analyses indicate that first world incentives for liquid biofuels from crops are having a net negative effect on the environment, and that there is no practical mechanism known to rectify this; further notes that medical research is not promoted by placing medicines believed to cause net harm on unlimited sale; therefore seeks a radical reform of EU bioenergy policy so as to put hunger-abatement and environmental objectives first; and urges the Government to place a moratorium on the awarding of Renewables Obligation Certificates to UK power station projects using liquid biofuels from crop sources, which are currently proliferating.