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Brussels, Belgium
19 June 2009
GM crops can and already do play
an important role in reducing the negative environmental impacts
of agriculture and feeding a growing population in a worsening
climate, reveals a report published today by
EuropaBio*. Furthermore,
this contribution will only increase as their cultivation
becomes even more widely adopted around the world. Nevertheless,
this fact continues to be ignored by many EU regulators, as is
evidenced by its repeated non-appearance on DG Environment’s
Green Week agenda.
‘It’s both worrying and perplexing that the impact of
agriculture, in general, gets such a low billing on next week’s
agenda and that the benefits of green biotech will likely not
even be mentioned” said Nathalie Moll, Director of Agricultural
Biotech at EuropaBio, “Even more so when you consider that
whilst we scramble to discover and apply new technologies to
reduce emissions in the fossil fuel-based economy, we reject
tried and tested solutions in agriculture - the second most
impactful sector.”
Today’s report highlights the significant potential of
Agricultural biotech to reduce GHG emissions, help crops adapt
to a changing climate and produce more food from less available
land. In this way, green biotech contributes to the range of
options to help farmers adopt sustainable agricultural practices
that can tackle tomorrow’s challenges. As a result, for over ten
years now, millions of farmers around the world have chosen to
cultivate GM crops on 125 Million hectares** of land to increase
their yields whilst using fewer precious natural resources.
“It’s high time we got our messages straight” added Willy de
Greef, Secretary General of EuropaBio “Climate change poses a
huge threat to the survival of millions around the world through
famine and disease. It’s our responsibility to stop talking shop
and start leading by acknowledging, endorsing and applying the
full range of tools available, including safe agricultural
biotech solutions.” he concluded.
*
http://www.europabio.org/positions/GBE/PP_090619_Climate_Change.pdf
** ISAAA Press release February 11 2009
http://www.isaaa.org/Resources/publications/briefs/39/pressrelease/default.html
EuropaBio's mission is to promote an innovative and dynamic
biotechnology-based industry in Europe. EuropaBio, (the European
Association for Bioindustries), has 68 corporate and 7 associate
members operating worldwide, 4 Bioregions and 25 national
biotechnology associations representing some 1800 small and
medium sized enterprises. |
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