Global Moratorium on Ocean Fertilization?
Submitted by ETC Staff on
Stalled at the eleventh hour by three isolated countries that are attempting to block consensus, most of the world’s environment ministries and others are on the brink of reaching agreement on a worldwide moratorium on commercial ocean fertilization – controversial proposals to dump nutrients in the ocean to artificially alter the climate. The three blocking countries, Australia, China and Brazil have spent several days manipulating the process to avoid discussion and prevent progress, much to the exasperation of delegates and observers. The clock runs out on negotiations at 6pm today (30. May 2008).
Captain Hook Awards for Biopiracy 2008
Submitted by ETC Staff on
Today (21. May 2008) the world learned which corporations, governments, institutions and individuals earned a spot in biopiracy’s hall of shame when the Coalition Against Biopiracy (CAB) announced the winners of the 5th Captain Hook Awards at a lunch-time ceremony during the Ninth Conference of the Parties (COP9) to the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) in Bonn, Germany.
Gigantes Genéticos se adueñan de “genes climáticos”
Submitted by ETC Staff on
Un informe publicado hoy (13 Mayo 2008) por el Grupo ETC, organización internacional de la sociedad civil con sede en Canadá, revela que las mayores empresas globales de semillas y agroquímicos están acumulando centenares de patentes monopólicas sobre genes de plantas, que luego pretenden comercializar como cultivos modificados genéticamente para resistir presiones ambientales asociadas con el cambio climático –por ejemplo sequía, calor, frío, inundaciones, suelos salinos, y otras. El informe del Grupo ETC advierte que más que una solución para enfrentar el cambio climático, la promesa de los llamados “cultivos resistentes al clima” (“climate-ready”) se utilizará para llevar a agricultores y gobiernos a aceptar definitivamente los transgénicos y las patentes que éstos implican.
News Release: Gene Giants Grab "Climate Genes"
Submitted by ETC Staff on
A report released by Canadian-based civil society organization, ETC Group, reveals that the world's largest seed and agrochemical corporations are stockpiling hundreds of monopoly patents on genes in plants that the companies will market as crops genetically engineered to withstand environmental stresses associated with climate change - including drought, heat, cold, floods, saline soils, and more. ETC Group's report warns that - rather than a solution for confronting climate change - the promise of so-called "climate-ready" crops will be used to drive farmers and governments onto a proprietary biotech platform.
Ganadores de los Premios Capitán Garfio y Cog 2008
Submitted by ETC Staff on
Bonn, Alemania - La Coalición contra la Biopiratería celebró la ya tradicional entrega de los Premios Capitán Garfio y Premios Cog en el marco de la 9ª Conferencia de las Partes al Convenio de Diversidad Biológica (COP9) en Bonn, Alemania, el 21 de mayo de 2008.