Sustainable Aviation document submitted

Dear Andrew,

Thank you for your email. The submission that we have made to the government's sustainable aviation consultation is available on line at:

 http://www.aef.org.uk/downloads/Plane_Stupid_and%20People_and_Planet_response.pdf

Our statement regarding Tesco is in the bio-fuels section. We maintain that our comments are a fair reflection on Tesco's position. The reality is the aviation industry will use increasing amounts of bio-fuels to exploit loopholes in the EU ETS scheme. This will impact food supplies.  This is being done despite no credible evidence this will reduce greenhouse gases. 

You suggest that the relationships between greenhouse gases, biofuels, food prices and food production is complex. We disagree and the world bank disagrees.  The evidence support us.We know food  prices correlate strongly with biofuels. We know that biofuel production has made Indonesia into one of the world biggest emitters of CO2 after China and US.  

Recent events demonstrate that food supply companies such as Tesco are so compromised they are unable to engage in the debate and that we therefore need more proactive intervention from the government. 

--- On Wed, 12/10/11, Yeo, Andrew  wrote:

From: Yeo, Andrew
Subject: RE: Re: Biofuels in relation to Tesco
To: "Kevin Lister"
Cc: "Gorrie, Angela Z"
Date: Wednesday, 12 October, 2011, 11:21

Kevin,

 

Thank you for your most recent email.  As I have already said we take our commitments to the environment very seriously, and your statement is not a fair reflection of our position.

 

As you will appreciate, we face a range of medium and long-term sustainability issues, driven by global population growth and increased levels of consumption.  On an on-going basis we review what these trends mean for our business and look at how we can mitigate the risks these present, while helping to reduce the impact of our business on the environment and meeting our customers' needs.

As I am sure you would recognise from your own research, the relationship between GHG emissions, biofuels, food production and prices is complex and multi-faceted.  It is a subject of ongoing public debate, which includes many different points of view,and impacts many other stakeholders.  Specifically on biofuels, we ensure that as far as possible the ingredients we use for biofuels are from sustainable sources, use waste-based biofuels wherever possible, and abide by all relevant Government sustainability requirements.  As a responsible retailer we continue to review the existing and emerging evidence, and will respond to the challenges that this represents.

We are committed to keeping prices down for our customers and we are committed to protecting our environment and creating more sustainable ways of doing business.

Best regards,  Andrew

 

---

From: Kevin Lister [mailto:kevin.lister@btopenworld.com] 
Sent: 06 October 2011 21:28
To: Yeo, Andrew
Cc: Numero_in
Subject: Fw: Re: Biofuels in relation to Tesco

Dear Andew,  Following our recent correspondence when you confirmed that you would not comment on Thomson Airways development to use biofuels, the following paragraph will be added to our submission to the government's sustainable aviation document "Following the recently introduced service by Thomson Airways using biofuel, we asked Tesco to comment on the risk this would impose to their ability to maintain food security. Tesco's refused to comment, most likely because they have significant investement in Greenery – a major biofuel supplier. This is highly concerning when the biggest food retailer in the UK is neither able or willing to enter debate on an issue of such critical importance. It leaves the governement with no option but to take a highly proactive role in seeking an immediate moratorium on any further biofuel development." Please confirm that this properly reflect Tesco's position.

Request to Tesco for Statement on Aviation Thrust to Biofuels.

Dear Andrew,

Following my previous email to Philip Clarke, I am writing to see if you are closer to being able to produce a statement regarding Tesco's position on the aviation industry's dangerous thrust towards Biofuels and the pressing danger it imposes on your company's ability to maintain food supplies to your customers.

So you fully understand the urgency, I enclose a press release from Thomson Airways who are already moving towards biofuel services. We also have a tight deadline of the 18th October to complete our submission to the Department of Transport on the Sustainable Aviation Consultation, and would request you statement by then at the latest. 

If you would like to speak to anyone for first hand and expert knowledge on these vital issues, please do not hesitate to contact me and this can be arranged. 

Regards,

Kevin Lister,

mobile 07768 991063

--- On Mon, 26/9/11, ceo.customerservice@tesco.co.uk  wrote:

From: ceo.customerservice@tesco.co.uk
Subject: Email to Philip Clarke
To: kevin.lister@btopenworld.com
Date: Monday, 26 September, 2011, 9:07

Ref: 12101597


Dear Mr Lister


Thank you for your email addressed to Philip Clarke, our Chief Executive Officer. I have been asked to respond on his behalf. Please accept my apologies for the delay in doing so. 


I can see that you also sent your email to Hannah Clare, our former Climate Change Manager, and know a copy was then received by Andrew Yeo. Andrew is best placed to comment and will reply to you directly.  


Thank you for taking the time to bring your comments to attention of our Chief Executive.


Kind Regards


Angela Gorrie
Customer Service Executive





.................. Original Message .................. 


To: Philip.Clarke@uk.tesco.co.uk
From: kevin.lister@btopenworld.com
Received: 25/09/2011

Subject: Tesco support against massive aviation expansion of biofuels

Dear Philip, Hannah, 

I am currently preparing a submission for the government's consultation on sustainable aviation, see http://www2.dft.gov.uk/consultations/open/2011-09/. The submission that we make will be prepared with young people will therefore will represent those with the greatest stake in the global warming debate.


A key piece of the current aviation strategy is that aviation can become green and sustainable through extensive use of biofuels. 


However, this a very ill considered position which will have devastating implications for the environment and for food supplies. It will have direct implications for Tesco's ability to supply food to the population of this country and other other countries.  


Large scale biofuel production will require huge land grabs and will adversely impact food production, at a time when meeting world food demand is becoming more difficult due to rising population, climate change and peak oil. To achieve the goals of the aviation industry, an area the size of Europe would be needed.


In short the issues and implications are:

• As food prices rise due to biofuel, the increasing number of people at subsistence levels in this country and abroad will be forced into total poverty leading to large scale social unrest and economic collapse.

• Biofuel will lead to rapid and substantial increases in greenhouse gas emissions due to the amount of land that has to be cleared and the subsequent loss of carbon sequestration 

• All of these issues were predicted in the report that I prepared for Tesco in 2008 and all of these are now coming to pass.

However the situation is now far worse. Any chance that we have for making significant reductions in global greenhouse gas emissions have evaporated with the disaster at Fukishima which will stop the nuclear renascence in its paths and with the collapse of carbon capture and storage due to engineering and financial issues.We must now brace ourselves for the nightmare scenario of an overpopulated world with average temperature rises in excess of 4 deg C.


In these dire circumstances we would appreciate a statement from Tesco, as a major food retailer condemning the ill considered support that this government and others are giving the aviation industry to pursue biofuels which we can then incorporate into our submission.


Regards, Kevin Lister

Minutes of Telecom with Tesco regarding biofuels

Dear Andrew,

Thank you for making time for the telecom on Tuesday, 26^th August. To reiterate the main points of our conversation and agreements that we came to:

• The CO₂ levels in our atmosphere are far in excess of past measurements. As a result we are in uncharted territory. It is thus difficult to predict with any accuracy the resultant temperature that the climate will stabilise at, other than to conclude it will be far in excess of today's temperatures and most probably not conducive to life on earth.

• As a consequence of this build up of CO2, we face the very real prospect of catastrophic climate change. To have any chance of avoiding this, we must preserve what we can of our biosphere to allow CO₂ to be removed from our atmosphere.

• I have explained to you that preservation of our biosphere is not compatible with expanding biofuels.

• You have agreed that Tesco proceeded down the route of biofuel, along with other companies, before the science was fully settled.

• You said that Tesco's are preparing a response to the Gallagher report. I have agreed to provide information to you that will support your response.

• I have explained that the the concept of biofuel fails when one factors in the loss of CO₂ absorption from the atmosphere. I explained to you that given that extremely high CO₂ in the atmosphere then the first priority must be to have a functioning biosphere that allows the CO₂ to reduce. I further pointed out to you that that Gallagher report does not cover how this loss of CO₂ absorption will be covered following biofuel developments.

• I also explained that the conclusions of the Gallagher report, i.e. that we should slow down the introduction of biofuel targets is not compatible with underlying message of the report, which is largely that biofuel use leads to increased CO₂ emissions due to land use change. I also explained that the main justification that the Gallagher report uses for its final position is to preserve the biofuel industry and to ignore the risk to the environment. This is clearly an unsustainable position.

• I explained my demand, that Tesco divest from Greenergy and support calls for a moratorium on biofuel. You have explained that Tesco will consider solid scientific evidence towards this demand.

• I have explained to you that those objecting to biofuel, ranging from individual protestors such as myself to world organisations such as the UN World Food programme are all losing the battle on biofuel as more land gets converted to biofuel, more money gets invested into biofuel and new government targets are being imposed.

• Finally, I explained to you that it is increasingly clear that our economy is a zero sum game as limits to growth are appearing simultaneously in numerous areas, e.g. food supply, water availability, CO₂ build up. In a zero sum game, (such as chess) one person's gain is another person's loss and no additional resources come into play. In a zero sum game, the only strategy to adopt is competition. This is a nightmare scenario which all sides must recognise and do all to avoid. It places a special onus on organisations such as yours to take full cognisance of the available science to avoid further damage.

A copy of the presentation outlining the position is attached. I will provide the information that you request within the next 4 weeks.

These minutes will be posted on my blog.

Regards,
Kevin Lister

Government Minister does not care about Tesco's abuse of the environement

Dear David,

Many thanks for raising my question in parliament on biofuels. The answer you got from Jim Fitzpatrick was the predictable rubbish that allows companies like Tesco to continue to take shelter under ill conceived legislation. Jim Fitzpatrick has not answered the fundamental question that you asked which is "what steps will be taken against against those producers, wholesalers and retailers which do not meet these requirements."

I would appreciate if you could press the matter further with the DoT to clarify their position. It is of interest that the even the Round Table on Sustainable Palm Oil cannot agree on what constitutes sustainable Palm Oil. Their web site proudly shows a huge Palm Oil Plantation, on land that would once have been a biodiverse tropical rainforest, suggesting that sustainability and biofuels do not go together.

Tesco had previously stated in correspondence with me that their biofuel supplies are auditable and these can be provided on request. However, they have not issued these. I would appreciate that you ask the DoT what audit documentation they have requested from major suppliers of biofuels to ensure that biofuels being sold are actually coming from sustainable sources and not leading to further deforestation or destruction of local environments.

A copy of this letter will also be sent to Terry Leahy

Regards,
Kevin Lister

Email Correspondence with Tesco "Customer Service Exec" on Biofuels

Dear Helen, (Tesco Customer Service Executive)

I have been forwarded an email from a friend of mine on Tesco's position on biofuels giving your reply to questions raised on biofuel supply.

I am appalled by your response which blatantly distorts the truth of one of the most serious situations to ever face our planet and provides unjustified and naive assurances.

You claim that Tescos only use a "small amount of palm oil." Can you confirm exactly what is meant by a small amount. Is it one tonne or 1000 tonnes or more?

You say that sustainability has been assured by the "Roundtable for Sustainable Palm Oil." I have looked at the membership of this group and it is wholly comprised of producers and traders in palm oil, some of which have already been implicated in environmental damage. How do you possibly expect a group such as this to put the sustainability of the tropical rain forest above production of biofuel and how do you justify accepting their assurances. Have you checked to see on what scientific grounds they justify sustainablity?

You say that the majority of your biofuel is sourced from rape seed. What environmental assessments have Tescos made of this and could you be kind enough to send me a copy of your assessment report?

You say that your supplier "is in the process of building a manufacturing plant for bio diesel." Can you confirm where this is being built, as most are currently located near ports for easy import of palm oil and sugar beet. If the plant to is be supplied solely from UK grown rape seed, can you confirm what total agricultural land area will be used to maintain its supply, what food production it will displace and the environmental impacts of growing this food elsewhere, and how much set aside will be lost?

I enclose a copy of presentation that is currently on wide circulation. I look forward to you addressing the serious points that it raises.

A copy of this email will be posted on my blog, http://kevsclimatecolumn.blogspot.com/

Regards,
Kevin

From: "XXXXX"

To: "'Tesco Customer Service'" customer.service@tesco.co.uk

CC: "KEVIN LISTER" kevin.lister@btopenworld.com

Subject: RE: TescoDate: Thu, 31 Jan 2008 10:17:12 -0000ReTES4658655X

Dear Helen

I appreciate you taking the time to respond to me and I am reassured to hear that the production of the crops are 'sustainable.'

My concern is that the more land set aside for fuel oil substituteproduction the less land there is for human and animal food production. The production of biofuels also encourages more deforestation - and our planetis already quite ill through deforestation. It is clear from your response Tesco has no intention of pursuing a truly long term green agenda. There is no short term profit motive to do so.

Global warm regards!

XXXXX

-----Original Message-----From: Tesco Customer Service [mailto:customer.service@tesco.co.uk] Sent: 29 January 2008 17:13
To: XXXXXX
Subject: Tesco

Dear Ms XXXX

Thank you for your email. I can appreciate your concerns and I am pleased to offer you the following information.

Tesco are at the forefront in the UK of retailing unleaded and diesel fuelscontaining bio fuels made from sustainable resources. These fuels are nowavailable in around 180 forecourts in the South East and North West ofEngland, where they have replaced conventional fuels at no extra cost.

The majority of bio diesel we use to blend into our fuel is made fromrapeseed oil. Our supplier is in the process of building a manufacturingplant for bio diesel in the UK and this will be supplied with mostlyUK-grown rapeseed. A small amount of palm oil will be used. However, I can assure you that this has been sourced from suppliers who are members of theRoundtable for Sustainable Palm Oil.

Thank you for allowing me the opportunity to explain our current positionregarding this matter. If you have any further queries please do not hesitate to contact us at customer.service@tesco.co.uk quoting TES4658655X.

Kind Regards,
Helen Duke
Tesco Customer Service Executive

From: XXXXX[mailto:XXXXXXX]
Sent: 27 January 2008 21:11
To: Leahy, TerrySubject: Biofuels

Dear Mr Leahy,

I am writing to urge you and your organisation to stop the selling and development of biofuels.

Biofuels are not a 'green' alternative to oil. The production of biofuels is as destructive to the planet as oil is -if not more so as it requires even more destruction of rain forests. Our generation is responsible for the long term survival of this planet- choices based on short term profit do nothing but push the planet on a faster track towards destruction. It would be wonderful if Tesco could take the lead in sustainabledevelopment - your company certainly has the resources to do this.

Warm regards
XXXXX