Organic News
GM Crops Failing to Tackle Climate Change
A report from Friends of the Earth International reveals that claims made by the biotech industry that genetically modified (GM) crops can combat climate change are both exaggerated and premature.
The report, ‘Who Benefits from GM Crops’, examines the evidence for these claims, and says that GM crops could actually increase carbon emissions while failing to feed the world.
This is because GM crops are responsible for huge increases in the use of pesticides in the US and South America, intensifying fossil fuel use. The cultivation of GM soya to feed factory farmed animals is also contributing to widespread deforestation in South America.
The report also states that globally, GM crops remain confined to less than 3% of agricultural land and more than 99% are grown for animal feed and agrifuels, rather than food.
In Europe, the area planted with GM crops has decreased for the fifth year in a row – a reduction of more than 10% since 2008. This reflects continuing public and political concerns on the negative impacts of GM crops. In 2009, the EU's largest member, Germany, became the sixth EU country to ban the planting of GM maize, making the area planted in the EU with GM crops less than 0.05% of total agricultural land.
Friends of the Earth Europe GM spokesperson Kirtana Chandrasekaran said, “The number of fields growing GM crops in Europe continues to dwindle while at the same time more and more Europeans are demanding farming that benefits both people and the planet. European Governments would be well advised to steer clear of GM crops in tackling climate change and put their energies into boosting planet and people friendly farming instead.”
Despite many decades of research there is still not a single commercial GM crop with increased yield, drought-tolerance, salt-tolerance, enhanced nutrition or other beneficial traits long promised by biotech companies.
Friends of the Earth International food coordinator Martin Drago said, “GM crops are being promoted as a solution to climate change, when in reality they are wiping out forests, damaging farmers’ livelihoods and increasing harmful emissions.
The reality is that GM farming is not a success story. Small farmers across the world are already using planet-friendly methods to feed themselves and cool the planet. These methods must be supported rather than environmentally and socially destructive GM farming.”
Gillian Westbrook has been appointed to the new position of
General Manager with IOFGA. Coming from a background in the regulatory area...
