Environmentalists are condemning the Canadian government for blocking a moratorium on genetically engineered trees at the U.N. Convention on Biological Diversity currently taking place in Bonn, Germany. The African nations and several other countries are supporting the moratorium which, if passed, would suspend the release of any genetically engineered trees.
Because trees live for decades and pollinate over thousands of kilometres, proponents of the moratorium fear these "frankentrees" will cross-breed with natural forests and endanger biodiversity.
"It is extremely dangerous," said Lucy Sharratt, Coordinator of Canadian Biotechnology Action Network (CBAN) from Germany where she was attending the conference. She said Canada was leading a small coalition of countries that were attempting to block the moratorium.
"Really it's Canada that is leading the effort to block the moratorium, it's very clear," she said, adding that Canada has recruited the support of New Zealand, Columbia and Brazil.
"There's an entire continent that's asking for very specific and immediate action to protect global forests. That's something Canada can't just ignore."
Speaking at the convention, Anne Peterman, co-director of Global Justice Ecology Project and co-coordinator of the STOP GE Trees Campaign urged the conference to support the moratorium. "This is the only decision that makes sense due to the un-assessed, irreversible and potentially disastrous impacts of GE trees on forest biological diversity," said Peterman.
"If [this conference] falls short of suspending the release of GE trees, by [the next conference] it may be too late."
Trees are being genetically engineered in several countries for a few main traits: herbicide tolerance, insect resistance, cold tolerance and reduced lignin as well as increased cellulose. The latter two traits both allow trees to be processed into paper or ethanol more easily. Lignin gives trees structural strength and helps them transport water. Environmentalists are particularly fearful of this trait cross-pollinating into natural forests.
"Low-lignin trees would be more susceptible to disease and pests and would be vulnerable in windstorms. The spread of low-lignin trees and their genes via seed and pollen to forests could be devastating," said CBAN's website. Natural Resources Canada had little to say on the topic. When asked to explain why Canada was working to block the moratorium the ministry's media relations department said new technologies were carefully assessed and monitored and that Canada has biotechnology laws to assess environmental safety.
"Genetically modified trees cannot be grown in Canada until a mandatory pre-market safety assessment is completed. This assessment would take into account any potential negative impacts on the environment, including potential impacts on biodiversity," said the ministry in an emailed response.
Meanwhile a test plot of three varieties of genetically modified trees is taking place in Laurentian, Quebec.
On its website, Natural Resources Canada says the goal of the research is to produce trees that grow faster, have better fibre quality and increased resistance to damaging insects, diseases, cold, drought and flooding.
"This combination of modern propagation techniques and genetic engineering offers the potential to meet future demands for high-quality, lower-cost raw materials while conserving Canada's natural forests," says the website.
Proponents of the moratorium argue that if genetically engineered trees do cross-pollinate with natural forests it would be impossible to contain. Contaminated trees would become a form of living pollution that could spread across entire continents.
Feeds