The leaders of the world’s eight leading industrialized nations, including four members of the European Union, have endorsed genetically modified varieties as an important tool in the fight against world hunger.
Their endorsement, contained in the July 22 communiqué ending the annual G8 Summit in Genoa, Italy, was the second international boost for the biotechnology industry in a week.
Earlier, the United Nations Development Program annual report offered a similar support.
The G8 leaders, including prime minister Jean Chrétien and the officially GM-skeptical leaders of Great Britain, France, Germany and Italy, said they support the continued effort by the UN Food and Agriculture Organization to fight hunger, including a November world food summit in Rome.
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It was the first time in 25 years of meetings that G8 leaders included food security on the agenda.
“Food security remains elusive,” they said. “Over 800 million people remain seriously malnourished, including 250 million children.”
A major part of the answer is to increase agricultural productivity in hungry nations.
“Among other things, the introduction of tried and tested new technology, including biotechnology, in a safe manner and adapted to local conditions has significant potential to substantially increase crop yields in developing nations while using fewer pesticides and less water than conventional methods,” said the G8 communiqué.
“We are committed to study, share and facilitate the responsible use of biotechnology in addressing development needs.”
FAO director general Jacques Diouf clearly was hoping for more.
He travelled to Genoa to ask the eight countries to contribute to a $500 million US trust fund for food security established by the FAO for investment in developing countries. The communiqué made no commitment to the trust fund.
The G8 leaders also endorsed the launch of a new round of World Trade Organization talks this November in Qatar.
“Open trade and investment drive global growth and poverty reduction,” they said.
“That is why we have agreed today to support the launch of an ambitious round of global trade negotiations with a balanced agenda.”
Chrétien ended the meeting by announcing next year’s summit will be held June 26-28 in Kananaskis, Alta.
He vowed that police will deal harshly with protesters if they try to repeat the violence that occurred in Genoa, where one protester was killed, scores were hurt or arrested, cars and buildings were burned and parts of the city vandalized.
Already, an Alberta activist group called Co-Motion Collective has announced that it will be holding workshops to prepare protesters.
“Prime minister Chrétien wants to have the meeting at a secluded lodge in order to better prevent protesters from attending,” said a statement from the group, which calls itself a collective of experienced activists interested in environmental and human rights.
“This effort to make the meetings more secretive makes it even more important that concerned citizens attend and voice their concerns,” the group said.
