March 9: US fossil fuel lobby and senators in love; India, pest develops resistance to Monsanto's GE cotton
A security guard tries to catch the banner as it floats up through the atrium. Photo: Greenpeace
AP reported three Greenpeace activists yesterday released a balloon-powered banner in the Senate Hart Office Building, on Capitol Hill, Washington, showing the face of Republican Lisa Murkowski of Alaska, reading "Lisa Murkowski, Happily matched since 2004," with the logos of Exxon, Chevron and Southern Co. on love hearts. Senator Murkowski is one of the politicians whose cushy ties to the fossil fuel lobby has been highlighted by www.polluterharmony.com - a mock dating website satirizing the condition of legislators on Capitol Hill 'in bed' with industry lobbyists. The direct action was picked up by The New York Times, Philly.com, The Miami Herald, Boston Globe and Seattle Post, citing Greenpeace US's Joe Smyth, who said the banner aimed to protest Murkowski's close ties to industry. The Alaskan senator's spokesman was quoted in response saying "this is another desperate attempt by an outside group to distract from the merits of the debate." However, the three activists, Rachel Humphreys, Alec Rothman and Samantha Corbin are all concerned US citizens. The peaceful direct action aimed to highlight the biased and undemocratic impacts politician's ties to industry have on real debate, which has been continually stifled in the US Senate thanks to lobbyists. Kert Davies of Greenpeace US said in a Huffington Post blog "Murkowski's continued counterinsurgency against Obama's EPA is part of a multilateral attack by corporations, corporate lobbyists and their friends in right wing think tanks and front groups." See more photos of the action here.
Struggle over GE in the EU, Monsanto cotton fails in India
Since Jose Manuel Barrosso quietly passed legislation to allow GE potato in the EU, a number of countries have responded with caution. Switzerland has voted on a 3 year moratorium, while Bulgarian President Georgi Parvanov has said he will call a national referendum on GE. One EU news report entitled "Citizens denied transparency and open debate on GMO" said that despite public opinion and the concerns raised about the manner in which Barroso pushed the controversial approval through by written procedure, the European Parliament voted to block a debate at their session in Strasbourg, which was proposed by GUE/NGL.
The typically big business-oriented Wall Street Journal meanwhile published a pro-GE piece saying India's government is "the main obstacle to economic progress" just as Jairam Ramesh, the country's Environment Minister reaffirmed a moratorium on BT Brinjal (eggplant) would stay in place until more research had been conducted.
Ramesh acted with caution after the GE plant was met with fierce opposition from farmers and the leaders of ten Indian states, who see the Monsanto-licensed crop as potentially locking farmers into subordination to foreign business, while environmentalists have warned the GE variety could contaminate native varieties and result in a loss of biodiversity - making food supplies more vulnerable to evolving strains of pest or disease. Indeed, just this week, Monsanto confirmed that four districts in the Indian state of Gujurat now have BT-cotton resistant pink bollworm. Engineered to produce its own pesticide, the plant will now again be vulnerable, as pests rapidly evolve new resistance, and farmers are driven to use yet more of Monsanto's pesticides, polluting the soil and running them into debt. The Business Standard article linked the case of BT-cotton to concerns over BT-brinjal, saying the very same thing could be expected to happen there.
South Africa nominates tourism minister for top UN climate post
Yesterday, AP reported, South Africa nominated its Minister of Tourism Marthinus van Schalkwyk for the top UN climate post, to replace Yvoe de Boer when he steps down in July. The former minister for environmental affairs and tourism, Van Schalkwyk is, the article said "well-regarded in climate change circles. He has a reputation as an effective bridge-builder in a process that often pits developing against industrially advanced countries." Themba Linden, political adviser at Greenpeace Africa was quoted saying "we are pleased to know Minister Van Schalkwyk is being considered...By all accounts, he has an excellent standing as a negotiator, and has earned a great deal of respect for being very engaged and informed." His chances of being appointed, it was reported, are bolstered by the high likelihood that South Africa will host the U.N.'s climate change negotiations in 2011.
Movies highlight environmental concerns
In the US, the makers of The Cove - a film about dolphin hunting in the city of Taji in Japan - accepted an award for best documentary, holding up a banner for people to text in support of their cause: the protection of dolphins. Elsewhere the Major of Taji was quoted responding to the documentary defending the cultural aspect of the hunt, saying the film was not "scientific." Japan has recently come under increasing pressure in relation to its whaling programme in the last year (with the trial of Tokyo Two underway this week), and for its opposition to a proposed EU ban on tuna fishing, as stocks have become dangerously depleted.
In India, a movie called "Hello Zindagi" has been released, sponsored by Tata Steel and Dhamra Port Company Ltd, as part of their Corporate Social Responsibility plans, which highlights issues surrounding the conservation of Olive Ridley turtles. Business Standard reported, the movie is significant because Tata has come under intense criticism from Greenpeace for the construction of Dhamra Port which threatens the turtles' habitat. Tata said the film is part of the company's effort to raise awareness about turtle conservation among fishermen.
EU stuck on nuclear, IBM moves green energy research to Beijing
Jose Manuel Barroso has announced the EU Commission intends to publish a draft law on how to deal with nuclear waste by the end of this year. Speaking at a conference of the International Atomic Energy Agency in Paris, Barroso said that radioactive waste was “a major pre-occupation” for the public. Under the proposals being discussed, national governments would be required to draw up national plans to manage nuclear waste, which address the issue of burying highly radioactive waste deep underground. Meanwhile, French news reported President Sarkozy will try to promote the adoption of nuclear energy worldwide. An AP piece in the NRC Handelsblad said Israel has announced its intentions to develop nuclear power. Meanwhile, four NGOs are suing the EU over transparency issues for refusing to make public documents which could add to growing evidence that biofuels are accelerating forest destruction and driving up food prices.
The New York Times blog Green Inc. said IBMs new Beijing-based energy lab is "another sign of China’s emergence as an epicenter of green technology." The company's vice president, Brad Gammons said “the company made a decision that China is a very, very important growth market and to put some executives here." He said IBM expects the new Energy & Utilities Solutions Lab to drive $400 million in revenue over the next four years. The Chinese government has budgeted $7.3 billion for smart grid-related energy projects this year, according to ZPryme Research & Consulting, a firm based in Austin, Texas. China wants to get ahead in the green energy market, Gammons said.
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