- The Weedy Truth About Biofuels
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This report, by the Invasive Species Council, exposing the weed risks
of many proposed biofuels is to be released tomorrow, 3 October 2007,
at the 'Greenhouse 2007' climate change conference in Sydney.

Most plants being promoted as biofuels in Australia are serious weeds
that should not be grown, The Weedy Truth About Biofuels report has found.

The assessment examines the weedy risks posed by 18 proposed biofuel
species being touted as climate change solutions.

In the report, the Invasive Species Council also recommends reforms to
policy to reduce the weed risk of the emerging biofuels industry in
Australia.

Thus far the weed risk of biofuels has been ignored by policy makers
in Australia.
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Media Release
Most plants being promoted as biofuels in Australia are serious weeds
that should not be grown, a new assessment by the Invasive Species
Council has found.

In a report to be released on 3rd October, at the 'Greenhouse 2007'
climate change conference in Sydney, the Invasive Species Council has
assessed the weedy risks posed by 18 proposed biofuel species being
touted as climate change solutions.

"Australia should not try to solve one environmental problem by
creating another," warned ISC spokesman and report author, Tim Low.
"These plants have no proven value as biofuel crops but bad
reputations as weeds."

Seven plants considered promising as biofuels are banned as noxious
weeds in parts of Australia - jatropha, spartina, castor oil plant,
Chinese apple, olive, willows, and poplars.

Two species - giant reed and spartina - appear on the World
Conservation Union's 'List of 100 of the World's Worst Invasive
Species'. Giant reed is now on trial as a biofuel crop in South
Australia, despite the enormous weed problems it causes around the
world. In California alone, many millions of dollars are spent each
year destroying it.

Jatropha is widely promoted as a "miracle crop" but there is no
technology for harvesting its seeds. It is closely related to
bellyache bush, one of the worst weeds of farmland in northern Australia.

"The naïve enthusiasm shown for jatropha and other weedy biofuel
plants recalls the enthusiasm shown for cane toads in a past age - and
the outcome may be similar," Mr Low said.

"We should be very wary of "miracle crops" and over-hyped agricultural
ventures, as past experience with aloe vera and deer farming has shown."

"The Invasive Species Council advises that any plant proposed as a
biofuel should be assessed first for its environmental impact," Mr Low
said.

"Disappointingly, Australian governments and biofuel experts have so
far failed to acknowledge that the weed risk exists, an unacceptable
situation."

Full report is available at
http://www.invasives.org.au/issues/biofuels.html