Rachel Smolker

Rachel Smolker: I work with the Global Justice Ecology Project, and the Global Forest Coalition on the impacts of agrofuels developement on people, land use, biodiversity and climate. As a dangerous "false solution" promoted by large corporate interests, agrofuels are a major obstacle to justice-based approaches to climate change mitigation. I came to this work from a background as a field biologist, which granted me opportunities to see diverse cultures and ecosystems first hand. (I wrote a book about my experiences with field studies of dolphin behavior "To Touch A Wild Dolphin"). One of my field experiences was a trip to Borneo to observe orangutans, which are now severely threatened by palm oil plantations. This is what galvanized my attention to the issue of agrofuels and forms a bridge between past and present pursuits. I am lead author of the report "The Real Cost of Agrofuels: Food, Forests, Peoples and the Climate" (available on our websites), and a recent article "The New Bioeconomy and the Future of Agriculture". (December 2008 issue of Development). I live in Vermont with my husband, two children and a lot of pets.