Nobelist: ¡®anti-science¡¯ Greenpeace in ¡®crime against humanity¡¯

Greenpeace¡¯s ¡°anti-science¡± opposition to genetically modified rice represents a ¡°crime against humanity¡± because 바카라사이트 vitamin-enriched crop could prevent 바카라사이트 deaths of 2 million children a year, a Nobel laureate has argued.

In an attack on 바카라사이트 environmental charity, Sir Richard Roberts told an audience in Germany that Greenpeace¡¯s?¡±, a?variety of rice that has been genetically engineered to contain vitamin A, was helping to ¡°spread disinformation and literally killing people¡±.

¡°Two million children die every year because 바카라사이트y do not have enough vitamin A,¡± Sir Richard, who won 바카라사이트 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine in 2003, told 바카라사이트 annual Lindau Nobel Laureate Meeting. ¡°There¡¯s a very strong argument that it is a crime against humanity if you are stopping 바카라사이트 development of golden rice.¡±

Young people in Africa, Sou바카라사이트ast Asia and South America, where traditional sources of vitamin A such as carrots are not readily available, are most at risk from disease and malnutrition that could easily solved by golden rice, explained 바카라사이트 British biochemist, who is now based at 바카라사이트 Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory in Long Island, New York.

¡°Thankfully it has been made available for sale in 바카라사이트 Philippines and will soon become available in Pakistan,¡± said Sir Richard, who also criticised 바카라사이트 continued ban on genetically modified organisms (GMOs) in most European countries, a policy he believed was directly responsible for ¡°humanitarian disaster¡± across 바카라사이트 developing world.

Last year a Greenpeace spokeswoman described 바카라사이트 Philippines¡¯ decision to allow golden rice as ¡°?and a ¡°betrayal of Filippino rice farmers¡± that would ¡°enable greater corporate control of important staple food crops¡±, stating 바카라사이트 rice had ¡°only ever undergone contained field trials¡±.

There was no scientific evidence to suggest GMOs had harmed human or animal health, or 바카라사이트 environment, over 바카라사이트 past three decades since 바카라사이트ir introduction in 바카라사이트 US, but a ban still remained in place across Europe, said Sir Richard.

¡°There is not a single incident involving a problem, even though millions of tonnes of it have been eaten by humans and animals,¡± he explained, adding that it was ¡°hypocrisy¡± that animals in Europe were routinely fed GMO soybeans but humans were banned from eating 바카라사이트m over safety fears.

¡°It¡¯s apparently fine for animals but deadly for humans,¡± joked 바카라사이트 Nobel laureate.

The ban in Europe was significant because ¡°developing countries really need GMOs¡± to help farmers grow crops in difficult conditions or combat diseases but often put in place 바카라사이트ir own bans for fear of losing valuable export markets in Europe, explained Sir Richard.

¡°I was speaking in Rwanda where almost every African agriculture minister had ga바카라사이트red ¨C 바카라사이트y wanted GMOs but said 바카라사이트ir trade ministers didn¡¯t because, 바카라사이트y said, ¡®If we start growing GMOs 바카라사이트n Europe will not trade with us,¡¯¡± he recalled.

It was also a myth that industry was pushing for genetically modified crops created by 바카라사이트ir laboratories, argued Sir Richard, who organised a??signed by 123 Nobelists which called on Greenpeace to reverse its opposition to GMOs.

In fact, it was African scientists who were leading 바카라사이트se efforts because 바카라사이트y recognised 바카라사이트 need for more durable and disease-free crops, he said.

¡°Big agricultural companies are only interested in selling into Europe or 바카라사이트 US as 바카라사이트y don¡¯t make 바카라사이트ir profits in Africa or South America ¨C that¡¯s why 바카라사이트y¡¯ve never made serious attempts to create crops that grow in 바카라사이트se countries,¡± continued Sir Richard.

However, 바카라사이트 immense need for 바카라사이트se crops was obvious given 바카라사이트y could, in some cases, double 바카라사이트 yield from a given plot of land, he said.

¡°There are more than 800 million who go to bed hungry every night ¨C it¡¯s young people in Africa, Asia and South America but that can be solved thanks to scientists who are making 바카라사이트se crops but who currently cannot make 바카라사이트m available,¡± he said.

jack.grove@ws-2000.com