GE TREES DENOUNCED FOR CARBON SINKS

For Immediate Release,
15 December, 2004
Contact: Anne Petermann, Co-Director, Global Justice Ecology Project, 15-4031-5151 <globalecology at gmavt.net>

Press Conference Denounces

UN Promotion of Genetically Engineered Trees for Carbon Sinks
Buenos Aires, Argentina--A press conference was held this morning featuring presenters from World Rainforest Movement (Uruguay), FERN (U.K., Belgium), Global Justice Ecology Project (USA), a Mapuche scientist from Chile, and the Union of Ecoforestry (Finland) at La Rural, the site of the tenth Conference of the Parties of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change. At this event the presenters addressed the Dec., 2003 decision of the UNFCCC to include genetically engineered (GE) trees in the Clean Development Mechanism of the Kyoto Protocol to supposedly mitigate carbon emissions.

GE trees present threats to both forests and communities. "Traits being engineered into trees include insect resistance, herbicide resistance, sterility and faster growth, among others," stated Anne Petermann, Co-Director of Global Justice Ecology Project. "If these traits escape into native forests, which is virtually guaranteed, it will lead to the destruction and contamination of native forests, which will worsen global warming," she continued.

Lorena Ojeda, a scientist with the Mapuche in Chile added, "already tree plantations in southern Chile are causing great environmental and social problems. We are especially concerned about the heavy pollination of pine plantations in Chile. This pollen causes serious allergies and other health problems in people who breathe it. It also contaminates the water. If this pollen is from genetically engineered trees, it will cause even more serious problems."

At the event, World Rainforest Movement and Friends of the Earth International released a new major report on GE trees, entitled, "Genetically Modified Trees: The Ultimate Threat to Forests," written by Chris Lang and available in English and Spanish. This report is available on their website at http://www.wrm.org.uy

Global Justice Ecology Project showed part of a video on GE trees entitled, "The Silent Forest: The Growing Threat of Genetically Engineered Trees," to be available in English and Spanish beginning in January, 2005. In the video, Dr. David Suzuki, a world-renowned geneticist who formerly ran the largest genetics lab in Canada, argues that because the science of biotechnology is so young, most of what we now know will turn out to be wrong. For this reason, he asserts, we must not rush into applying it, because we cannot predict the outcome. To request a copy of the video, contact Global Justice Ecology Project at http://www.globaljusticeecology.org

Chris Lang, author of the WRM and FOE International report states, "The UN is secretly promoting GE trees. The UN FAO and UNDP ran a project which promoted and funded the technology in China, where more than 1.5 million GE trees have been planted commercially, with no oversight whatsoever." He added, "I have repeatedly asked the UN FAO for information on their program and they refuse to respond. If these trees are so safe, why is there so much secrecy?"
Yesterday, Global Justice Ecology Project and World Rainforest Movement met with over a dozen groups, social movements and NGOs from around the world to discuss implementation of an international campaign to ban the genetic engineering of trees globally.
_______________________________
FOR PHOTOS OF THIS AND OTHER UNFCCC EVENTS: http://www.globaljusticeecology.org/index.php?page=news
_______________________________
Global Justice Ecology Project (GJEP) is attending the Buenos Aires, Argentina United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) tenth Conference of the Parties (COP 10).
____________________________________________________________

Orin Langelle
Co-Director
Global Justice Ecology Project
P.O. Box 412
Hinesburg, VT 05461 U.S.

http://www.globaljusticeecology.org