NO RIGHT FOR CONTAMINATION!
Global Ban on GM trees
People's Forest Forum
http://elonmerkki.net/forestforum
Press release 10 November 2004, Finland
China's GM poplars cause concern
International campaign demands global ban on GM trees

China appears to be the first country on Earth which has taken genetically modified trees into commercial use. According to reports there are now more than a million insect resistant GM poplars in plantations in Southern China. There is still a great lack of information as to the varieties in question but activists are worried.

-If those GM poplars can cross pollinate with the natural populations the contamination cannot be avoided. In that case China has obviously made LMO (living modified organism) invasion to other countries and by that it will break the national sovereignty of those countries and also international laws like the Cartagena Biosafety Protocol, says Mikko Vartiainen, a lawyer and activist in People's Biosafety Association in
Finland.

-There is no right for contamination, says Leo Stranius, chair of Friends of the Earth Finland.

-Whatever the country is which starts global contamination of forest trees, that action is not justified.

We hope that China can soon give good news to the international community that they have finished the project and removed the risk of contamination.

The Global Ban on GM trees campaign has opened an Internet workshop for sharing discussions and information on China's GM poplar project. Link:
http://elonmerkki.net/dyn/forum/topic/?catid=101

The campaign continues on the Internet

In the beginning of this year three Finnish environmental organisations launched an international campaign for a global ban on GM trees. The open petition for UN has now been signed by more than 200 organisations and 2000 individuals from 70 countries.
(http://elonmerkki.net/forestforum/uk/signed1.html)

The campaign has protested the UN decision in the climate meeting in Milano which gives possibility to set up genetically modified tree plantations and get some emission rights by them. Look more:
http://elonmerkki.net/forestforum/uk/press3.html
http://elonmerkki.net/forestforum/uk/press040504.html
http://elonmerkki.net/dyn/forum/thread/?id=224

The next step for the campaign is to present its demand in Buenos Aires in December when the tenth UN Kyoto meeting (Cop 10) happens there.

-Genetically modified trees are not the solution. Instead of taking irreversible risks that extend over generations we should develop the true alternatives of ecoforestry and organic agroforestry, says the campaign coordinator of the Union of Ecoforestry Hannu Hyvönen

For more information:

Global Ban on GM trees
http://elonmerkki.net/forestforum

Hannu Hyvönen
coordinator
tel +358-408317733
e-mail:hannu AT elonmerkki.net

Leo Stranius
chair
Friends of the Earth Finland
tel +358-40-754 7371
email:leo.stranius AT maanystavat.fi
http://www.maanystavat.fi

Mikko Vartiainen
lawyer
People's Biosafety Association
tel.+3580503863354
email:mikko.vartiainen AT nic.fi