CSIRO Future Fuels Forum released its report "Fuel for thought - The future of transport fuels: challenges and opportunities" at GM Holden, Melbourne on 11th July 2008.

Petroleum engineer Phil Hart from the Australian Association for the Study of Peak Oil and Gas believes it will not be long before the demand for oil will outstrip supply. "Oil production has been essentially flat since 2005, and we have only another couple of years at this same sort of level of production before we start seeing oil production going into decline," he said.

Doctor John Wright from the CSIRO has told ABC's AM program the study also suggests that such an oil shock would have a greater impact than a carbon emissions trading scheme [Australian Association for the Study of Peak Oil and Gas].

Food Miles
There is a lack of statistical information required to fully assess the impacts and vulnerabilities of the Australian food system. Given the challenges of climate change and peak oil, at a state and federal level, Australia needs to urgently review the role our current food system plays within these significant issues. Further research is therefore required for Australia to respond accurately within these issues.

Future research may include:
•A comparative analysis of the food miles and emissions of similar food items produced: Imported conventional and organic products, domestically produced conventional and organic, locally produced in-season products, and locally produced in-season organic products.
•A complete life-cycle assessment of the impacts of food production and transportation methods.
•Analysis of these studies in conjunction with research on bush foods and regional suitability of food products to provide alternative and replacement foods for any food products deemed to have a high environmental impact.
•Analysis of labelling of food products. For example, labels indicating the embodied: environmental impacts, energy use, greenhouse gas emissions and water use. Labelling may include an assessment of the social impact of food items, likewise to the ‘Fair Trade’ campaign.This may link with the revised labelling campaign for the ‘Australian Grown’ logo, launched in June 2007 by the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry.Such a study may assess how consumers respond to food labelling[source: CERES, Victoria, report July 2007).