Press release - February 7, 2008
Greenpeace has learned that, contrary to previous practice, the federal government will not invite environmental groups and the provinces to join its delegation at the Convention of Biological Diversity’s scientific meeting in Rome on 18 -22 February. Many controversial subjects, such as biofuels and genetically engineered trees, will be on the agenda.
"Canada will conduct its business behind closed doors in what we
fear is an attempt to undermine the international community's
efforts to protect biodiversity," says Éric Darier, coordinator of
Greenpeace Canada's agriculture campaign and a delegate at the
meeting.
Greenpeace anticipates that Canada will attempt to lift an
international moratorium adopted by the United Nations in 2006
against "Terminator" sterilization techniques that prevent farmers
from saving seeds. Canada, it is believed, would like to use GE
trees to produce biofuels.
The thirteenth meeting of the Subsidiary Body on Scientific,
Technical and Technological Advice (SBSTTA 13) is being held in
advance of the 4th meeting of the Parties to the Cartagena Protocol
on Biosafety (COP-MOP/4), which takes place on 12 - 16 May 2008 in
Bonn, Germany. The federal government has not yet indicated if they
will exclude the provinces and environmental groups from their
delegation at this meeting as well.
For more information, please call:
Jocelyn Desjardins,
Media and Public Relations Officer, 514-212-5749