Page 2 of 2 FirstFirst 12
Results 11 to 12 of 12

Thread: Leading Environmental Activist’s Confession: I Was Completely Wrong To Oppose GMOs

  1. #11
    Senior Member prakel's Avatar
    Join Date
    Apr 2012
    Location
    Jurassic Coast.
    Posts
    1,480

    Default

    Mark Lynas 'Hardtalk' interview on iplayer, not sure how long the link will work:

    http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b01qcj5x/

  2. #12
    Senior Member Jon's Avatar
    Join Date
    Feb 2010
    Location
    Belfast, N. Ireland
    Posts
    5,122
    Blog Entries
    94

    Default

    More from mark Lynas in the Observer today on an article about GM Golden Rice.

    "The first generation of GM crops were suspect, I believed then, but the case for continued opposition to new generations – which provide life-saving vitamins for starving people – is no longer justifiable. You cannot call yourself a humanitarian and be opposed to GM crops today."
    Another from one of the scientists involved in its development.

    "All the time we have been required to show that there are no risks associated with growing golden rice, but at no point did we get a chance to point out its benefits. Everything is about risk assessment and nothing is about benefits assessment."
    An alternatate view from John Vidal in the same article

    Instead, the business is in the grip of a few global chemical companies who make their profits mostly from the sale of the chemicals they engineer their seeds to resist. After 30 years of public relations and backing by governments, the crops are still not trusted and food safety concerns will not go away.
    Vidal highlights how Monsanto has poisoned the public perception with it sharp practice but this paragraph caught my eye:

    In five years' time, it is possible someone will manage to engineer GM crops to "fix" carbon and eliminate the need for pesticides. If the crops can then be seen to be without risk and be for the benefit of the public rather than for sheer corporate profit, then even organic farmers should not oppose them.
    Really? Are we anywhere near that and did he not mean to say nitrogen rather than carbon?

    And he concludes:

    As it is, I fear GM has proved beneficial for the few but held back the real debate on how to grow food without harming the environment or people.

Bookmarks

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •