The Biodiversity Convention: 10 years on

At the Earth Summit in Rio ten years ago, the Biodiversity Convention was all people could talk about. There was something in it for everyone. Governments would benefit from becoming recognised as owners' of their genetic resources; local people from their role as custodians; companies from new profits to be made; and the whole world from novel medicines and other products. To cap it all, the worlds biodiversity would be protected and conserved. Ten years on, the pictures is not quite as rosy, says Elizabeth Bravo.

At the Earth Summit in Rio ten years ago, the Biodiversity Convention was all people could talk about. There was something in it for everyone. Governments would benefit from becoming recognised as owners' of their genetic resources; local people from their role as custodians; companies from new profits to be made; and the whole world from novel medicines and other products. To cap it all, the worlds biodiversity would be protected and conserved. Ten years on, the pictures is not quite as rosy, says Elizabeth Bravo.

Benny Haerlin - SOS Save our Seeds

Benedikt (Benny) Haerlin has worn many hats in the fight against genetically modified organisms (GMOs): campaigner, journalist and politician to name a few. Back in the early days of the GM issue, he served one legislative period (84-89) as Member of the European Parliament (Green Party, Germany), where he specialised in genetic engineering issues. He founded the Gen-ethic Network in Germany in 1987 and worked for several years as International Coordinator of Greenpeace International's Genetic Engineering Campaign. He is now coordinator of the Save our Seeds campaign, which is trying to keep GMOs out of the European seed supply. Here he offers some perspective on where the GM foods issue has come from and where it is headed.

Benedikt (Benny) Haerlin has worn many hats in the fight against genetically modified organisms (GMOs): campaigner, journalist and politician to name a few. Back in the early days of the GM issue, he served one legislative period (84-89) as Member of the European Parliament (Green Party, Germany), where he specialised in genetic engineering issues. He founded the Gen-ethic Network in Germany in 1987 and worked for several years as International Coordinator of Greenpeace International's Genetic Engineering Campaign. He is now coordinator of the Save our Seeds campaign, which is trying to keep GMOs out of the European seed supply. Here he offers some perspective on where the GM foods issue has come from and where it is headed.

Resources

We review 17 reports and books in the October issue of Seedling, under headings of Genetic Engineering, IPR, Sustainable Agriculture, Agricultural Trade and Unfair Subsidies, Genetic Resources, and People and Processes.

We review 17 reports and books in the October issue of Seedling, under headings of Genetic Engineering, IPR, Sustainable Agriculture, Agricultural Trade and Unfair Subsidies, Genetic Resources, and People and Processes.