Washington, DC
September 11, 2008
"Five years of global
cooperation towards sustainable development”
Today marks the fifth anniversary of the entry into force of the
Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety.
The Biosafety Protocol is an international environmental treaty
under the United Nations Convention on Biological Diversity,
which establishes rules and procedures for the international
trade in certain agricultural biotechnology products.
The Biotechnology Industry
Organization (BIO) has been involved in discussions since
the time the Biosafety Protocol was negotiated. Sharon Bomer
Lauritsen, executive vice president of food and agriculture for
the Biotechnology Industry Organization (BIO), issued the
following statement reaffirming BIO's commitment to working with
Biosafety Protocol Parties to ensure the safe transfer, handling
and use of agricultural biotechnology products:
"Over the past five years, more than 140 countries have made
significant gains in implementation of the Biosafety Protocol.
The biotechnology industry has contributed to these efforts,
through ongoing capacity-building efforts, improvements to the
quality and quantity of information available on the Biosafety
Clearing-House, and the development of guidance language for
industry to use in implementation of the Biosafety Protocol's
shipping documentation requirements.
"BIO and its members remain supportive of the Biosafety
Protocol. This support represents our industry's unwavering
commitment to environmental protection, food security and
resource preservation while allowing for the global community to
take advantage of the real benefits of agricultural
biotechnology.
"Crops improved through biotechnology are increasing yields on
current agricultural lands around the world. Higher-yielding
crops can help feed more people and boost incomes for farmers.
In addition, the use of biotech crops that resist pests and
diseases, tolerate harsh growing conditions and reduce spoilage
has also prevented the loss of many important crops. Crops
improved by biotechnology are being embraced by farmers around
the world.
"The theme selected for this fifth anniversary is 'The Cartagena
Protocol on Biosafety: Five years of global cooperation towards
sustainable development'. BIO looks forward to continuing to
support implementation of the Biosafety Protocol through
focused, capacity-building at the national level. This is key to
the effective operation of the Biosafety Protocol and to
ensuring compliance by all Parties with their existing
obligations.”
**For more information on the fifth anniversary of the Protocol,
visit:
http://www.cbd.int/biosafety/anniversary.
BIO represents more than 1,200 biotechnology companies,
academic institutions, state biotechnology centers and related
organizations across the United States and in more than 30 other
nations. BIO members are involved in the research and
development of innovative healthcare, agricultural, industrial
and environmental biotechnology products. BIO also produces the
BIO International Convention, the world's largest gathering of
the biotechnology industry, along with industry-leading investor
and partnering meetings held around the world. |
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