Top polluters aim to build global biofuel market

Leading polluters the United States, China and India on Friday announced a bid to increase global production and use of biofuels so fossil fuel dependence and greenhouse gas emissions can be cut.

But the International Biofuels Forum, which also includes Brazil, South Africa, and the European Commission, will not address biodiesel trade and tariff issues — points of contention between major producers the United States and Brazil.
Brazil’s U.N. ambassador, Antonio Patriota, told a news conference that his president, Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, plans to raise the issue of U.S. tariffs on ethanol imports when he meets with U.S. President George W. Bush next week in Brazil.

“Biofuels will be on the agenda, very much at the top of the agenda and I think … bilateral trade in that context will be dealt with and we will indeed raise the issue of tariffs,” Patriota said of Bush’s visit.

The forum aims to create a world market to boost efficiency of production, distribution and use of biofuels through talks between producers and consumers. Brazil hopes to host a global biofuels conference in 2008.

Reuters