歐佩克對西方開發(fā)生物燃料發(fā)出威脅

歐佩克(Opec)昨日警告西方國家，它們?yōu)閷箽夂蜃兓_發(fā)生物燃料作為替代能源的努力，可能會推動油價暴漲。

Opec yesterday warned western countries' that their efforts to develop biofuels as an alternative energy source to combat climate change risked driving the price of oil "through the roof".

歐佩克秘書長巴德里(Abdalla El-Badri)表示，針對發(fā)達國家提倡更多使用生物燃料，這個強大的卡特爾正考慮減少在石油增產(chǎn)方面的投資。

Abdalla El-Badri, secretary- general of the Organisation of the Petroleum Exporting Countries, said the powerful cartel was considering cutting its investment in new oil production in response to moves by the developed world to use more biofuels.

歐佩克控制著全球約40%的石油生產(chǎn)。該組織發(fā)出警告之時，適逢八國集團(G8)于今日召開峰會，會議的首要議題就是氣候變化問題。美國和歐洲希望利用生物燃料來對抗全球變暖，并增強能源安全。

The warning from Opec, which controls about 40 per cent of global oil production, comes as the group of eight leading industrialised nations meets today with climate change at the top of their agenda. The US and Europe want to use biofuels to combat global warming and to strengthen energy security.

歐佩克此前對替代能源持懷疑態(tài)度，但巴德里的講話標志著該組織首次明確發(fā)出威脅，面對全球向生物燃料的轉變，歐佩克可能會采取行動捍衛(wèi)自己的利益。

Opec has previously expressed scepticism about alternative energy but Mr El-Badri's comments mark the first clear threat that the cartel might act to safeguard its interests in the face of a shift towards biofuels.

倫敦全球能源研究中心(Centre for Global Energy Studies)的朱利安o李(Julian Lee)表示："他們的確很擔心。歐佩克會繼續(xù)投資，但隨著生物能源的出現(xiàn)，他們也許不會全力投資。"

"They are really concerned," said Julian Lee of the Centre for Global Energy Studies in London. "Opec will continue investing but with biofuels on the horizon, they may not invest enough."

"這對歐佩克是一個難題。一方面，人們要求它們增產(chǎn)，另一方面，美國和歐盟又在告訴歐佩克：'我們把賭注押在了生物能源上，我們不想依賴于你們。'"

"It is a difficult situation for Opec. On one hand they are asked to produce more, on the other one, Washington and Brussels are telling the cartel 'we are betting on biofuels and we don't want to rely on you [Opec]'."

美國總統(tǒng)布什(George W.?Bush)已做出承諾，未來10年內(nèi)，美國將通過提高機動車燃油效率和大幅增加生物燃料消費，將美國的汽油使用量減少20%。生物燃料是從玉米和蔗糖等農(nóng)業(yè)大宗商品中提取出來的。2005年，全球生物燃料產(chǎn)量相當于全部燃料的1%。

George W.?Bush, the US president, has pledged to cut US petrol use by 20 per cent over the next 10 years through more efficient vehicles and a big increase in biofuel consumption. World production of biofuels, which are derived from agricultural commodities such as corn and sugar, was equal to 1 per cent of all road transport fuel in 2005.

巴德里警告稱，在中期內(nèi)，生物燃料生產(chǎn)可能難以持續(xù)，因為它會與食品供應形成競爭。今年的食品零售價格漲幅可能會創(chuàng)下約30年來的最高水平，生物燃料就是原因之一。

Mr El-Badri warned that biofuel production could prove unsustainable in the medium term as it competed with food supplies. Biofuels are one reason retail food prices are now heading for their biggest annual increase in about 30 years.