Doha meeting rejects GM foods - IPPmedia

Tanzania and other developing countries have rejected the use of genetically modified organisms (GMOs) fearing its effects might put out small farmers and lead to food scarcity.

The minister for State in the Prime Minister's Office (Environment), Dr. Terezya Huvisa made this observation yesterday when briefing journalists on the results of the 18th United Nations conference on the Kyoto protocols on climate change in Doha, Qatar on 27th November to 7th December 2012.

Dr. Huvisa said that developing countries in one voice disagreed on the use of GMOs saying still more research was needed to identify its effects on the soil, whether the seeds will be costly, which means most developing countries will not afford them.

Developing countries similarly disagreed on ways of adapting the agricultural sector in facing up to the challenges of climate change, on the basis of a position reached in the African Ministerial Conference on the Environment (AMCEN) in September, in Arusha.

The AMCEN conference resolved that there was no agreement reached as to how the forests sector can be harnessed to combat climate change as the developed countries, came up with a proposal for reduced emissions from deforestation and forest degradation (REDD).

Another area which lacked agreement between developed and developing countries was how to get money to fight climate change, where the developed countries suggested that funds should be sought in terms of private sector investments, a view rejected by developing countries, preferring governments to shoulder the bill.

"It is very difficult for a developing country like Tanzania to hire money for fighting climate change from the private sector. The money was supposed to be donated by developed countries as they are the principal source of carbon dioxide emission, for about 82 percent of emissions," she said.

Dr. Huvisa affirmed that Tanzania's position on reducing gas emissions is that the developed countries are responsible to donate money for preserving forests which will be used to absorb dirty emissions.

She said the money Tanzania wants should be given as compensation or a subsidy which will be a good way to benefit the country than benefiting foreign companies which will be engaging in the project of preserving forests where land disputes are likely to occur.

The minister noted developed countries needed to reduce emissions rose from 25 percent to 45 percent from the previous rate of 5.2 percent in relation to their emission levels of 1990 on the basis of the Kyoto protocol, while America and Japan withdrew from the Kyoto Protocol claiming China is producing more emissions than them and hence they cannot continue contributing money where China stands to get the highest benefit.

Successes reached in the Doha conference include prolonging the period of implementing the Kyoto protocol in its second phase for eight years from five years decided earlier, starting January next year.

The conference also gave the opportunity to the Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) project sponsored by developed countries to continue reducing emissions and contribute two percent of Gross Domestic Product (GDP) to fund climate change adaptation efforts worldwide.