Despite Mounting Opposition from Southern nations, delegates at the Biodiversity Convention fail to ban Terminator
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In the face of mounting evidence of its commercialization, the Fifth Conference of the Parties (COP 5) to the Biodiversity Convention (CBD) failed to heed the warnings of most of the world's nations to ban the Terminator technology. 'By not responding to the calls made by many of the nations of the world, a minority of COP delegates from the North ultimately abdicated their responsibility to international food security and biodiversty,' said Julie Delahanty of RAFI.
Despite information about new patents and field trials, and the strong opposition to Terminator and genetic use restriction technologies (GURTs)* expressed clearly by most of the world's nations, the CBD approved a proposal coming from its Scientific Advisory Body (called SBSTTA). That proposal recommends that GURTs not be approved for field-testing or be commercialized until more scientific data can be gathered on its potential impacts. The text also states that Parties may choose to establish a complete moratorium on these technologies at the national level.
Captain Hook Awards for the Best Actions Against Biopiracy Patents 2000
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The Coalition Against Biopiracy presented these awards for the most egregious cases of biopiracy when the Conference of Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity Convention met in Nairobi, May 2000. A one page table.
The Captain Hook Awards 2000
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The Coalition Against BioPiracy (CAB) presents the much un-coveted 'Hook' at the Biodiversity Convention in Nairobi.
Terminator en el campo
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Durante 1999 se otorgaron siete patentes nuevas sobre Terminator y más de una prueba de campo de tecnologías de restricción del uso genético (TRUGs). Los gobiernos presentes en la 5a. Conferencia de las Partes del Convenio sobre Diversidad Biológica (COP 5) deben actuar enérgicamente para prohibir Terminator y abrir una moratoria a las pruebas de campo o venta comercial de organismos modificados genéticamente con tecnologías de restricción del uso genético. "Esto será una prueba del tan voceado Principio de Precaución y del Protocolo de Bioseguridad negociado en enero pasado," advierte Silvia Ribeiro, "Si la COP 5 no logra ponerse de acuerdo en la prohibición de Terminator , que es un amenaza grave a la biodiversidad, mostrará que no se puede confiar en el Convenio y la ratificación del Protocolo será solamente una formalidad"
Terminator on Trial
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1999 saw at least seven new Terminator patents, and more than one field trial of genetic use restriction technologies (GURTs). Governments meeting at COP5 in Nairobi (15-26 May) must act decisively to ban Terminator and call for a moratorium on field testing and commercial sale of GURTs. 'This is the litmus test for the CBD s much-touted precautionary principle and the Biosafety Protocol negotiated last January,' Silvia Ribeiro of RAFI warns, 'If the Convention can't agree on an all-out ban of the Terminator as a blatant threat to biodiversity, then it can't be trusted and the Protocol shouldn't be ratified.'