pcplantdb

["Lawrence F. London, Jr." <lfl@intrex.net>]

-------- Original Message --------
Subject: [SANET-MG] sustainable world
Date: Mon, 8 Aug 2005 19:02:19 -0400
From: jcummins <jcummins@UWO.CA>
To: SANET-MG@LISTS.IFAS.UFL.EDU
     ISIS Press Release 08/08/05

  Sustainable World Coming

/Independent scientists, economists, politicians, and activists met to
share knowledge and ideas for sustainable food systems as the industrial
model is close to collapse. Rhea Gala <mailto:gala@i-sis.org.uk> reports
on the Sustainable World First International Conference/

      Independent scientists join forces with global civil society
<...>
But what policy and structural changes are needed to implement truly
sustainable food systems?

      The big picture

Dr Mae-Wan Ho, director of ISIS and member of the Independent Science
Panel opened the proceedings by introducing the Sustainable World Global
Initiative. She berated governments and political leaders for their
overwhelming commitment to the prevailing neo-liberal economic model

!<>>>*
that underlies social inequity, environmental destruction and global
warming and emphasised that there is a wealth of existing knowledge that
can both provide sufficient food for everyone and ameliorate climate
change.
!<>>>*

<...>

!<>>>*
He advocated the removal of patenting and intellectual property rights
and, instead, to reinstate the public ownership of useful technologies
that save resources. <...> He spoke in favour of localised sustainable
systems that are connected and informed internationally.
!<>>>*

Sue Edwards apologised for Dr Tewolde Berhan Gebre Egziabher's absence
and presented his paper that posed the question ‘What does the word
‘sustainable' mean in the context of food for everyone?' It means that
food must be available to the very poorest person now, and into the
indefinite future. There is currently both plenty of food that is
overeaten by some, and plenty of hunger, even where food is present.
<...>
Meacher advised the promotion of low input mixed organic agriculture
that saves ten times the energy of industrial holdings,
<...>

      Knowledge-based actions for sustainable food systems

Friday brought a crowded agenda: a host of speakers with interesting
experiences to relate.
<..>
Hywel Davies MD of Weston A Price Foundation from Switzerland gave an
account of the relationship between early coronary artery disease and
the lack of nutrient dense food in the western diet.

!<>>>*
Joe Cummins, professor of genetics from Canada said that his country
would be the first where farmers legally lose control of their seed.
Terminator technology provides the ultimate control of seeds production
by multinational corporations. Seed with terminator technology was
developed and owned by Monsanto, but that technology (which involved
preventing the embryo in the seed from growing) faced worldwide
criticism and it was withdrawn by Monsanto. .
!<>>>*

/Thanks to conference sponsors: Fondation pour une Terre Humaine, Third
World Network, Green People, Ecological Society of the Philippines,
International Institute for Sustainable Development, Alara Organic,
Josephine Sikabonyi, Alan Simpson MP, Michael Meacher MP, Caroline Lucas
MEP, //Weston A Price Foundation, HDRA organics and the New Economics
Foundation. See list of sponsors of the Sustainable World Global
Initiative here: /http://www.indsp.org/reg/ISPRegWhoHasSigned.php
<http://www.indsp.org/reg/ISPRegWhoHasSigned.php>

/Available conference papers and power points can be viewed at:
/http://www.indsp.org/ISPSustainableWorld.php
<http://www.indsp.org/ISPSustainableWorld.php>