Biofuels are cleaner fuels, which means they produce fewer emissions on burning. Studies suggest that biofuels can reduce greenhouse gases by up to 65%.

Plants are renewable, unlike fossil fuels, and can be replanted again and again.

The use of biofuels means that less oil has to be imported, so countries can reduce their dependence on fossil fuels.

More jobs will be created with a growing biofuel industry, raising living standards.

It grows in poor soil, so it can be grown on land not suitable for food crops.

Increases employment as Jatropha growth is very labour intensive.

It does not require a large factory to be processed but can be done locally. This directly benefits rural farmers who will have more electricity.

At present biofuels are expensive to produce.

The same crops are grown year after year (this is called ‘monoculture’), which deprives the soil of nutrients that are put back into the soil through crop rotation.

Biofuels need fertilizers to grow better. The downside of using fertilizers is that they can have harmful effects on wildlife and can cause water pollution.

Crops will be grown for fuel instead of food, causing potential food shortages in developing countries. Fewer food crops will also cause food prices to rise.

In Brazil and Indonesia, rainforest areas are being removed to create space to grow biofuels. This destroys wildlife habitats, forces tribes off their lands, and contributes to global warming.

Large quantities of water are required to irrigate biofuel crops, which can put a strain on water supplies.

The industrial processes involved in biofuel production use fossil fuels and emit large amounts of carbon dioxide. Biofuels, therefore still contribute to global warming.