February 10: India delays BT-Brinjal plans, saying it doesn't want a repeat of the Bt cotton disaster; China's 2007 water pollution levels more than twice government's estimates, report says
This is part of a trial series
Introduction of Genetically Engineered (GE) vegetables on hold in India
Reuters reports that the decision to delay introduction of GE vegetables in India until further tests have taken place, is seen as boosting the Congress party among its main farming vote base, much of which is fearful of GE use, and comes despite pressure from Farm Minister Sharad Pawar who supported the introduction of GE Bt brinjal. The Bt brinjal story travelled in world news receiving attention in the UAE, in The National print edition, also featuring the Greenpeace action in India. The Guardian and The Guardian International print editions also feature the Bt brinjal campaign, mentioning that several warnings have been flagged to the government from scientists and opposition from the public following the Bt cotton controversy. The Hindustan Times print edition warned once again against the potentially disastrous consequences of introducing Bt brinjal.
Poland’s Environment Minister, Janusz Zaleski, says there is no convincing data that GE crops are harmful or could have negative consequences for local farming if introduced. However, Greenpeace campaigner Luke Supergan highlighted that GE crops could spread spontaneously and take over non GE plants through contamination, making farmers dependent on big biotech companies for buying and producing GE crops.
Survey of extensive pollution levels in China needs to be made public
A Chinese government survey of the country's environmental problems has shown water pollution levels in 2007 were more than twice the government's official estimate, largely because agricultural waste was ignored. The story was also featured in The New York Times. Greenpeace campaigners in China are urging the government to disclose pollution data which for the first time includes the agriculture and services sectors reports the South China Morning Post. The story has also received attention in Europe. The Guardian International print edition featured Sze Pangcheung of Greenpeace China in an article talking about farmers being the biggest polluters in China, not factories, saying that China needs to step up the fight against overuse of fertilizers and pesticides and promote ecological farming. The Hindu Business Line print edition carried a similar story.
"Robin Hood tax" to fight poverty and tackle climate change
A coalition of 50 organizations and charities including Oxfam, the TUC, Barnardo's, ActionAid and the Salvation Army, unions and aid agencies have called on the UK's political parties to support a global "Robin Hood tax" on financial transactions that could raise up to £250bn every year to fight poverty, protect public services and tackle climate change.
Nuclear plant to close in Canada
Metro in Canada reported that Pickering's nuclear power plant will be shut down within a decade, as it has shown not to be as profitable as desired. "The announcement that they're closing Pickering is the first up-front decision to shut down a CANDU reactor because of the bad economics," said Shawn-Patrick Stensil, an energy expert with Greenpeace. Read more about the economic and environmental problems of nuclear power and why it is an inadequate response to the climate crisis here.
(Photo credit: Copyright Greenpeace/Greenpeace activists bearing witness to open-air field trials of Genetically Engineered Brinjal (aubergine) at Hamidpur, near Delhi. This was to highlight that GE field trials are risky and can be a threat to public health.)
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Comments
well written and easy to read,i hope you keep us informed as you do a good job writing.
Posted by: finn braaksma | February 11, 2010 9:29 AM
A GOOD chronology of the assault perpetrated with GMOs is offered by a former biotech researcher:
"But the primary problem I slowly recognized was that the science involved in the production of genetically engineered products is hardly science at all. In many cases firms are tweaking genes they don't completely understand; it is a matter of applying engineering methods to biology with no real knowledge of the underlying processes involved.
They manipulate long sequences of junk DNA, and inadvertent changes are rampant in the transgenes. The foreign genes are inserted using a highly imprecise means, so that the DNA changed is not fully understood, and the "undesirable" characteristics are removed after perhaps years of random manipulation.
The researchers do not understand or control– or even recognize– many of the changes taking place. However, this process eventually leads to a desired genetic line that meets some minimum criteria. It is then pushed through cursory field trials and scientific screenings– with the support of biased politicians swayed by powerful lobbyists.
Though GMO companies claim their trials are separate from the food chain until they are complete, I regularly observed birds, chickens, pigs, and cows sneaking into regulated fields to eat. These animals are in turn often consumed by locals and thus they find their way into both the human and non-human parts of the food chain while they are highly experimental."
http://holdenma.wordpress.com/2010/02/13/why-genetically-engineered-foods-wont-feed-the-world-a-former-gmo-researcher-speaks-out/
Posted by: listenin | February 15, 2010 3:38 PM