Another sunny day here in Bonn - where people from all around the world are meeting to discuss the conservation of the world's biodiversity. I'm writing this message from the Beethoven Room at the Maritime Hotel (Bonn is actually the composer's birthplace). I'm surrounded by more than 200 people, the type of people you are likely to find at UN Conventions: serious-looking government officials, NGO men with funny haircuts (you should see the German Greenpeace guy!) and then there are women, like me, still trying to find their way around the 600 buildings where meetings are taking place. At the Beethoven/computer room we are all sitting in front of our laptops, furiously drafting emails, checking the news and sending the latest updates from the negotiations to headquarters in the UK, Burundi, Guatemala or Azerbaijan. Then there is also the usual procrastinator - the woman by my side is checking her Facebook. Well, she looked like she needed a break!
Today's highlight was the Captain Hook Awards for Biopiracy 2008. To our delight, the European Union's Transcontainer Project won the prize for ‘worst use of public funds’. Not surprising: its 3-year, 5 million euro Transcontainer project supports new research on suicide seeds – sterile seeds that a farmer could theoretically bring “back to life” by (buying and) applying a chemical. Despite the fact that European consumers have overwhelmingly rejected GM foods, the goal of the EU’s Transcontainer project is to develop GM crops and trees for Europe that could be “biologically contained.” Shameful!
This is not the first time that Terminator-related initiatives have been awarded prizes by the NGO community at the CBD. In 2006, Canada, Australia and New Zealand won the prize for ‘Axis of Evil Award’, for their repeated attempts to undermine the ban on Terminator technology at COP8. So far, these countries have remained silent on Terminator - but we must be vigilant. The issue of Genetically engineered (GE) trees is still one of the most controversial topics at these negotiations as some countries argue that they, combined with agrofuels, are necessary to face global warming. Terminator could then be presented as necessary to prevent cross-contamination of GE trees. Agricultural biodiversity will continue to be discussed on Monday - and I’ll be there speaking to delegations to make sure that the ban on Terminator is maintained.
During lunch today I decided to take a stroll through the gardens that surround the conference rooms - it was not fresh air that I was looking for but anonymity. I had bought a big German Brühwurst sausage for lunch (at least it was organic) and wasn’t particularly eager to bump into delegates with mustard all over my mouth. But Murphy had obviously already decided for me - as I saw the Argentinean Head of Delegation sitting alone on a bench. I had been instructed from London to “lobby, lobby, lobby” so, sausage or not, I had to speak to the guy.
I had a good 10-minute conversation with him. I asked about Terminator and he said that as far as he knew, countries were not willing to bring the issue up to try and undermine the ban. Great, I thought, our campaign has sent a strong message to them! But he was quick to note that there was still a week to go - so anything could happen. My question was would Argentina support the ban on Terminator? Yes, we would, he said, but we would also need to see how negotiations develop. Although not entirely convinced by his answer, we had run out of time and my Argentinean friend had to get back to the conference room. I made him promise that he would speak to me again if Terminator came up, and he said he would. I saw him walk back to the building as I finished eating my brühwurst - cold brühwurst.
Tuesday, 27 May 2008
Friday, 23 May 2008
Full-blown lobbying mode!
My first morning at the Bonn biodiversity summit was exciting and I am now in full-lobbying mode! However, there is no news yet on the Terminator front as it's still not on the agenda and as far as some delegates have told me, it has not been discussed informally either. But I think that when it comes to Terminator technology, no news is definitely good news! – It means that pro-Terminator delegates and their biotech friends are aware that civil society is keeping a close eye on the issue and that if they dare bring it up (and make efforts to weaken the global moratorium on Terminator technology) we will react - and fight hard!
As expected, the two topics that have dominated negotiations so far have been agrofuels and GM trees. Apparently Brazil is pushing hard for the Convention on Biodiversity not to apply the precautionary principle to agrofuels – the principle that if something is potentially harmful, those arguing in it’s favour must prove it is not harmful before it can be allowed to go ahead. Argentina is supporting Brazil in this attempt (I am not happy to be Argentinean at this moment!). This is making some developing countries and NGOs go crazy. There's a side-event on agrofuels facilitated by Brazil where they'll present their arguments against the precautionary principle being applied - and there's a long queue outside the conference room already! I'll tell you more about Brazil's love story with biofuels after the session.
I have just spoken to the head of the Peruvian delegation and she told me she was quite satisfied with how negotiations had developed; she had successfully lobbied for changes in the text of the Convention, most of them related to the recognition of the importance of 'centres of origin' of biodiversity - such as Peru's case with the potato. Apparently, this comes with some sort of commitment for financial assistance to guarantee that these centres of origin are well preserved.
A delegate from Spain tells me that that the temperature is rising in the meeting rooms of the Maritime Hotel (where the convention is taking place) and that negotiations are approaching their climax! He was frustrated at the lack of scope for negotiation that individual European member states had. Because the European Union negotiates as a block, member states need to abide by the positions defined beforehand. Before each plenary session, all European delegates meet and agree on the issues to be discussed.
My plans for the rest of the day? Get in touch with the British delegation - they need to know that Progressio will do everything possible to discourage them from turning a blind eye to the ban on Terminator technology. And that if the issue does come up and the British delegation do not stand up against the pro-Terminator lobby, we will let them know that they will be letting down thousands of British citizens who ‘Said NO’ to Terminator seeds.
Sol
As expected, the two topics that have dominated negotiations so far have been agrofuels and GM trees. Apparently Brazil is pushing hard for the Convention on Biodiversity not to apply the precautionary principle to agrofuels – the principle that if something is potentially harmful, those arguing in it’s favour must prove it is not harmful before it can be allowed to go ahead. Argentina is supporting Brazil in this attempt (I am not happy to be Argentinean at this moment!). This is making some developing countries and NGOs go crazy. There's a side-event on agrofuels facilitated by Brazil where they'll present their arguments against the precautionary principle being applied - and there's a long queue outside the conference room already! I'll tell you more about Brazil's love story with biofuels after the session.
I have just spoken to the head of the Peruvian delegation and she told me she was quite satisfied with how negotiations had developed; she had successfully lobbied for changes in the text of the Convention, most of them related to the recognition of the importance of 'centres of origin' of biodiversity - such as Peru's case with the potato. Apparently, this comes with some sort of commitment for financial assistance to guarantee that these centres of origin are well preserved.
A delegate from Spain tells me that that the temperature is rising in the meeting rooms of the Maritime Hotel (where the convention is taking place) and that negotiations are approaching their climax! He was frustrated at the lack of scope for negotiation that individual European member states had. Because the European Union negotiates as a block, member states need to abide by the positions defined beforehand. Before each plenary session, all European delegates meet and agree on the issues to be discussed.
My plans for the rest of the day? Get in touch with the British delegation - they need to know that Progressio will do everything possible to discourage them from turning a blind eye to the ban on Terminator technology. And that if the issue does come up and the British delegation do not stand up against the pro-Terminator lobby, we will let them know that they will be letting down thousands of British citizens who ‘Said NO’ to Terminator seeds.
Sol
Thursday, 22 May 2008
Greetings from Bonn!
Welcome to terminator tales.
Through my blog I will be reporting for Progressio on developments at the CBD conference here in Bonn.
Sol Oyuela
Environment Advocacy Coordinator
Through my blog I will be reporting for Progressio on developments at the CBD conference here in Bonn.
Sol Oyuela
Environment Advocacy Coordinator
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