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Regulate Synthetic Biology Now: 194 Countries

Submitted by Dru Oja Jay on

SynBio industry’s wild west days are numbered
PYEONGCHANG, SOUTH KOREA– In a unanimous decision of 194 countries, the United Nation's Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) today formally urged nation states to regulate synthetic biology (SynBio), a new extreme form of genetic engineering. The landmark decision follows ten days of hard-fought negotiations between developing countries and a small group of wealthy biotech-friendly economies. Until now, synthetic organisms have been developed and commercialized without international regulations; increasing numbers of synthetically-derived products are making their way to market.

Países en favor de la biología sintética contra el resto del mundo

Submitted by Veronica Villa on

Bloquean las negociaciones para regular la biología sintética

Entre los 194 países que asisten a la 12ava Conferencia de las Partes del Convenio sobre Diversidad Biológica de la ONU, un pequeño club de naciones ricas con poderosas industrias biotecnológicas (Canadá, Australia, Nueva Zelanda, Japón, Suiza, Brasil y la Unión Europea) han estado oponiéndose a países de África, el Sureste Asiático, América Latina y el Caribe sobre la necesidad de una gobernanza internacional para la también llamada ingeniería genética extrema.

Northern “Syn Bio Club” Blasted for Impeding UN Talks Progress

Submitted by Dru Oja Jay on

Synthetic Biology States vs. the Rest of the World
- For immediate release -
 
PYEONGCHANG, SOUTH KOREA–Tensions are rising at UN talks concerning oversight of synthetic biology technology, sometimes called extreme genetic engineering. A small club of wealthy nations with powerful biotech industries, (Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Japan, Switzerland, Brazil and the European Union) have been clashing with developing countries from Africa, Southeast Asia, Latin America and the Caribbean over the need for international governance frameworks for synthetic biology. 
 

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Matrix climática

Submitted by ETC Staff on

Matrix climática
Spanish
Silvia Ribeiro *

Durante las negociaciones de Naciones Unidas sobre cambio climático en Copenhague, Dinamarca, en diciembre pasado, la delegación de Bolivia comparó lo que allí sucedía con la película Matrix. Agregó que los únicos que tomaban la pastilla roja (que en la película permite ver la realidad como es) eran los que marchaban protestando por las calles de Copenhague. Es una de las imágenes más atinadas que he escuchado.

Nuevo clima en Copenhague

Submitted by ETC Staff on

Nuevo clima en Copenhague
Spanish

Silvia Ribeiro*

Copenhague, 18 de diciembre -Mientras escribo esta nota, no se sabe si habrá un nuevo acuerdo global sobre el cambio climático en la conferencia de Naciones Unidas que se realiza del 7 al 18 de diciembre. Pero en todos los escenarios de las negociaciones en curso, falla lo principal: ninguno va a modificar las causas del cambio climático, que implicaría cambiar radicalmente el modelo industrial de producción y consumo.

Reclaim Power day at the UN ... and NGOs get kicked out

Submitted by diana on

Reclaim Power day at the UN ... and NGOs get kicked out
English

Today was "Reclaim Power" day, a collaborative adventure with activists from Climate Justice Now and Climate Justice Action that had been many months (years?) in the making.   There were demonstrators from the outside -- the thousands of activists who have no accreditation to get into the Bella Centre where the talks are being held, and those who had been working the process inside -- lobbying, analyzing, holding press conferences and such. The point was to hold a people's assembly on climate change when talks failed to deliver.   And they are failing to deliver big time.

Is technology transfer for Northern businesses or Southern countries?

Submitted by diana on

Is technology transfer for Northern businesses or Southern countries?
English

I am still in the Bella Centre, still tracking technology negotiations.  That means I have a magical "secondary pass" unlike thousands of other NGOs who cannot get into the building today. Technology is supposed to be the "easy issue", on which there will possibly be an agreement, evoked by both the Danish Presidency and the UNFCCC head, Yvo de Boer, as the most rapidly progressing item.

After the demo ... and tangling with the Royal Society

Submitted by diana on

After the demo ... and tangling with the Royal Society
English

So much has happened in the past three days it is has been impossible to blog.  We have been trying to lobby for precaution and assessment on technology, trying to talk to the press about our issues, attending side events, organizing our own workshops, meeting old and new friends and allies and basically working from early morning until late at night, like virtually everyone else here.

Leaving for Copenhagen - yikes

Submitted by diana on

Leaving for Copenhagen - yikes
English

It is the mad dash for Copenhagen.

I am leaving Montreal for the international summit tomorrow although the conference actually got underway today.  In between urgent emails over the weekend I found the time to take my ten year old daughter and two of her friends to see A Christmas Carol, a Geordie Theatre production of the Dickens classic.   The play was great but it was hard to keep my mind off what was going on in Copenhagen -- plus Scrooge kept reminding me of Stephen Harper.

Cerdos, maíz y resistencia

Submitted by ETC Staff on

Cerdos, maíz y resistencia
Spanish

Silvia Ribeiro*

En Chichicuautla, muy cerca de las porquerías de Granjas Carroll –incubadores de la influenza porcina–, la gente resiste. Resisten la contaminación brutal de tierras, aguas, aire y las enfermedades que les provoca esta carnívora trasnacional, propiedad de Smithfield, la empresa porcícola más grande del globo. Resisten también la represión que contra ellos ejercen los gobiernos estatales en acuerdo con las empresas.

Ilegal e inmoral, pero no impune

Submitted by ETC Staff on

Ilegal e inmoral, pero no impune
Spanish

Silvia Ribeiro*

Contra viento y marea, en medio de innumerables críticas e irregularidades, el gobierno aprobó hasta el 27 de octubre, 22 siembras "experimentales" de maíz transgénico a favor de las trasnacionales Monsanto, Dow Agrosciences y Pioneer Hi Bred (esta última, propiedad de DuPont).

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