Movements of Millions Say No to Gene Drives as Brazil Attempts to Legalize Genetic Extinction Technology

Regulatory change would spread modified genetic traits to wild organisms

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

MONTREAL, MEXICO CITY, SÃO PAULO, February 22, 2018—The largest rural movements in Brazil, representing well over a million farmers, are protesting a new Brazilian regulation that would allow release of gene drives, the controversial genetic extinction technology, into Brazil’s ecosystems and farms.

2017: The Year of Bits, Bots and Blockchains

ETC Group’s Irreverent Year in Review... again

The future has arrived — it’s just not evenly distributed yet.” —William Gibson, 1992

As the year careens to a close, summing up the trends, portends and hairpin bends of 2017 feels like a Pandora’s unboxing of mashed up dystopias. Call it technological convergence or the fourth industrial revolution, but the familiar cyberpunk themes of robotics, Artificial Intelligence and bioengineered economies are now becoming cyber-industrial fact.

Global Wins from Early Warnings

Seven key ETC victories from the first 40 years

It's usually the case at ETC that when we encounter success, we've usually already moved on to the next campaign. But in our 40th year, we decided to take a moment to celebrate by looking back at some of our favourite wins. We like them all, so they are presented here in roughly chronological order.

7. Seed Treaty

The 2040 Fund

Illuminating pathways out of the current mess

As 2017 draws to a close, we’re excited to announce our 2040 Fund. As technologies and corporate power gain critical mass, ETC’s contribution will shift from from fighting technologies one by one to defining the “positive possible” of the longer term, and illuminating pathways out of the current mess.

To make that possible, our goal is to build a base of donors to our 2040 fund who contribute an average of $20.40 per month. Want to be part of it? Click here to donate now.

Or read on to find out more.

The Gene Drive Files

Disclosed emails reveal military as top funder; Gates Foundation paying $1.6 million to influence UN expert process

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Over 1,200 emails released under open records requests reveal that the U.S. military is now the top funder and influencer behind a controversial genetic extinction technology known as “gene drives” – pumping $100 million into the field.

Mapping Geogengineering Projects

Interactive map from ETC Group and Heinrich Boell Foundation shows growth of climate control efforts

This interactive geoengineering map, prepared by ETC Group and the Heinrich Boell Foundation, is an attempt to shed light on the worldwide state of geoengineering by showing the scope of research and experimentation. There is no complete record of weather and climate control projects so this map is necessarily partial.

ETC 2017 Survey

ETC is is undertaking a process of reflection and transition, and we want to hear your thoughts on our work so far. Your responses will help us prioritize and communicate going forward. 

Everyone who fills out the survey will be entered to win a special prize. Thank you!

Who Will Feed Us? The Industrial Food Chain vs the Peasant Food Web

New report from ETC Group tells a shocking tale of two food systems

We are told that it is big agribusiness, with its flashy techno-fixes and financial clout, that will save the world from widespread hunger and malnutrition and help food systems weather the impacts of climate change. However, a new report from ETC Group shows that in fact, it is a diverse network of small-scale producers, dubbed the Peasant Food Web, that feeds 70% of the world, including the most hungry and marginalized people.

Who Will Feed Us?

The Peasant Food Web vs. the Industrial Food Chain

(Read the news release about the report launch.)

Who Will Feed Us, now in its third edition,  compares the industrial food system with peasant farming. Industrial farming gets all the attention (and most of the land). It accounts for more than 80% of the fossil fuel emissions and uses over 70% of the water supply used in agriculture, but it actually produces only about 30% of the world's food.

Civil society: “Oil companies should not author IPCC report”

108 organizations urged IPCC to review flagrant conflict of interest of allowing two oil company employees to co-author a crucial report on global warming

12 May 2017 

On 27 April 2017, 108 civil society organizations signed a letter requesting the IPCC to reconsider its list of authors for the upcoming Special Report on keeping global warming below 1.5°C. Two senior employees from major oil companies were selected among the authors for the Report, which the letter considers a major hurdle to make a fair report, and a violation of the IPCC's conflict of interest policy. 

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