The Case for A GM-Free Sustainable World
More than 325,000 visitors to this site since 2002 and
starting March 9,2006 new visitors to this page begin at
The Independent Science Panel on GM Final Report
Now on ISP Website www.indsp.org
The independent Science Panel (ISP) on GM - launched 10 May 2003 at a
public conference in London attended by the then UK environment minister
Michael Meacher and 200 other participants - consists of dozens of prominent
scientists from seven countries, spanning the disciplines of agroecology,
agronomy, biomathematics, botany, chemical medicine, ecology,
histopathology, microbial ecology, molecular genetics, nutritional
biochemistry, physiology, toxicology and virology.
As their contribution to the global GM debate, the ISP has compiled a
complete dossier of evidence on the known problems and hazards of GM crops
as well as on the manifold benefits of sustainable agriculture. This
dossier, based on more than 200 references to primary and secondary sources,
is now published as their official report, The Case for a GM-Free
Sustainable World.
This ISP Report will be submitted to all national and international
forums to call for a ban on all environmental release of GM crops to make
way for sustainable agriculture.
Coinciding with the launch of the ISP report on 15 June 2003, The Case
for a GM-Free Sustainable World will also be available on the following
websites worldwide:
Institute of Science in Society, UK
www.i-sis.org.uk
Third World Network
www.twnside.org.sg
Institute for Food and Development Policy (Food First), USA
www.foodfirst.org
Please log onto www.indsp.org
to add your signature in support of the ISP Report, or send an e-mail
message to info@indsp.org
indicating your support.
Distribute this message widely.
Demand that proponents of GM crops answer the case presented, as their
case has yet to be made.
***Also on the ISP website are photographs from the highly successful
launch conference, summaries and texts of the talks, with power point
presentations and slides. Available for sale are hard copies of the ISP
Report, audio CDs/cassettes and video cassettes of the entire conference ***
Quotes from some ISP members & contact details:
Prof. Joe Cummins
Prof. Emeritus of Genetics, University of Western Ontario, Canada
"The public must be informed of the extensive crop contamination, genetic
instability and reduced yields from the widespread use of genetically
modified crops in North America. Even more, the looming tests and production
of biopharmaceutical crops threaten the health and survival of humans and
wildlife alike. Britain should say ‘no’ now to stop this global nightmare."
Contact: jcummins@uwo.ca; tel: +
1-519-681-5477
Dr. Mae-Wan Ho
Director of the Institute of Science in Society, who initiated the move to
set up the ISP
"Many scientists are concerned over the safety of GM. We believe people
should have all the evidence in front of them, so they can make the right
choice for the future of agriculture and food security. But all they’ve been
getting from official sources are hype and propaganda on the supposed
benefits of GM crops. We set up the Independent Science Panel because we
have lost confidence in the official process."
Contact: m.w.ho@i-sis.org.uk; tel:
44-(0)20-7272-5636
Lim Li Ching
Researcher, Institute of Science in Society and Third World Network
"Many farmers around the world already have the knowledge, experience and
innovative spirit that motivate sustainable agriculture. Learning from them
means rethinking agriculture and associated policy making, and exploring how
traditional knowledge and science can work together."
Contact: ching@i-sis.org.uk; tel:
44-(0)20-8643 0681
Dr Eva Novotny
Astronomer and campaigner on GM issues for Scientists for Global
Responsibility, SGR
"Even minor tampering with nature is apt to bring serious consequences,
as did the introduction of a single chemical (DDT). Genetic engineering is
tampering on a monumental scale, and nature will surely exact a heavy toll
for this trespass."
Contact: eva.novotny@care4free.net;
tel: 44(0)1223-351772
Prof. Bob Orskov
Formerly Rowett Research Institute, Aberdeen, Scotland; Director,
International Feed Resources Unit; Fellow of the Royal Society of Edinburgh,
FRSE; Fellow of the Polish Academy of Science
"I am very happy to be a member of the ISP. My concern is mainly the
relentless push by GM protagonists to pretend to have the solutions for
hunger and poverty in Africa and Asia, who think they can by corrupt means
get them to grow GM crops. How wrong they are. Having been concerned with
poverty alleviation in many countries, I have yet to meet a situation that
can be solved by GM. There are so many other solutions that are safe and
sustainable."
Contact: Boborskov@hotmail.com
or b.orskov@macaulay.ac.uk; tel:
44(0)1224 498243 (work) or 44(0)1651 862351 (home).
Dr. Peter Rosset
Agricultural ecologist and Co-Director, Institute for Food and Development
Policy, Oakland, California, USA
"There is no pressing need for GM crops, as world agriculture is in
overproduction, and people go hungry because of poverty, not because of lack
of GM seeds, when they are too poor to buy from the plenty around them."
Contact: rosset@foodfirst.org;
tel: +1-510-654-4400 x224; fax: +1-253-295-5257; cell: +1-510-717-5490
Prof. Oscar Zamora
Professor of Agronomy, Department of Agronomy, University of the Philippines
Los Banos-College of Agriculture (UPLB-CA), College, Laguna, The Philippines
"For every application of genetic engineering in agriculture in
developing countries, there are several less hazardous and more sustainable
approaches and practices with hundreds, if not thousands, of years of safety
record behind them."
"None of the GM applications in agriculture today are valuable enough to
farmers in developing countries to make it reasonable to expose the
environment, farmers and the consumers to even the slightest risk."
Contact: obz@mozcom.com; tel: +(6349)
536-2217/ 2466/ 2468; tel/fax: +(6349) 536-2468
For further quotes see "Quotes
from ISP members"
For more information, please contact: ISP, PO Box 32097, London NW1 0XR |
