Climate change

April 14 2008 14:58jozef keulartz, wageningen university and research centre

One question that is extremely timely right now, especially for the EU and the US, is whether we should continue stimulating the use of so-called first-generation biofuels. Recent scientific reports cast serious doubts on their presumed sustainable character. Ms. Leschine, however, claims that the media attention to these negative reports is somewhat onesided and that the underlying science is more complicated. She holds that corn ethanol, while not perfect, is still an improvement on burning petroleum. She further argues that we need such first-generation biofuels as “stepping stones” to better solutions. It thus seems that the soundness of our energy policy depends very much on the soundness of the scientific evaluation of the merits of first-generation biofuels in terms of net energy saving, carbon saving and competitive effects on food production. Shouldn’t we take more time for carefully analyzing the situation before making far-reaching policy commitments? Are first-generation biofuels really indispensable as “stepping stones” for more advanced “generations” of biofuels?

April 18 2008 13:37Shashidhar, Barwale Foundation

Global warming has already hit us hard. We need to find immediate solutions

April 18 2008 13:46Shashidhar, Barwale Foundation

Paddy contributes significant amout of gren house gas emitted from countries where rice is a staple food. I have developed specific genotypes of paddy that can be cultivated just like any other aerable crop. This has three fold advantages.1. It does not emit methane as the soil is maintained under aerobic conditon that in not congenial for methanogenesis. Further as water is never ‘impounded’ in the field losses of Nitrogen is very less. This prevents eutrification of lakes. Thirdly as seeding is done directly (no transplanting) considerable savings are realizd in energy also. The yield levels are very close to irrigated rice. I hope this technology catches up in all rice growing countries of the world.

April 19 2008 09:23Taek-ryoun KWON, The National Institute of Agricultural Biotechnology

I believe that climate change is a glibal challenge what have to work together including application of modern biotechnology.

April 19 2008 11:50Lakshman Reddy, ICAR, Directorate of oilseeds research

G W already sowed its seeds, just it now germinated and it may grow full in a over a span of time

April 21 2008 07:19Dr. Nandita Singh, National Botanical Research Institute

Whenever climate change is adressed people talk of CO2 and temperature rise. Whereas,wth the extend of automobiles on the roads and the high temperature in India Ozone also has a role in climate change. Being a secondary pollutant it will have a major role in crop yield especially in the village areas. It is high time we should start monitoring O3 and its effect on yield.

April 23 2008 07:24Dr. Seetharam Annadana, Avesthagen Limited

We needs to invest on technology platforms for tolerance to abiotic stress, resistance to biotic stress and enhance efficiency of usage of natural and chemical resources by plants.

Drought, thermo and salinity tolerance, resistance to diseases and pests and enhancing water, nitrogen and potassium use efficiency, are traits that need to be engineered into plants for climate change adatation by plants.

May 6 2008 11:12Gordon Akon-Yamga, CSIR-STEPRI

Of course biotechnology can hold as a solution to decreasing food production under climate change, however we must not hasten with its application, we must proceed on a precautionary note

May 12 2008 10:57Mark van Loosdrecht, TUDelft

GMO energy materials are not the solution for the problems of agriculture.
Productivity will not increase, water is still needed, nutrients are still needed (with associated N2O emissions).
I a in favor of applying GMO’s but using climate change, food shortage and development issues as a means of softening the public will not help the case if no real examples are concrete improvements are made.

May 22 2008 01:42griffioen, griffioen

there is no such thing as an immediate (global) solution and any risk analyses should be taken seriously

May 23 2008 13:16Gordon Akon-Yamga, CSIR-STEPRI

I agree with Professor Vogel that different types of people should be consulted when implementing biotechnological solutions. In Ghana for instance, a “citizens conference” was organised that brought together scientists/researchers, consumer protection association members, journalists and the general public together, to discuss issues relating to biotechnology in Ghana, particularly a biotechnology policy. The conference was very fruitful in terms of the contributions of all the different types of people present and the outcome of the conference.

May 27 2008 20:48cvfedm, ypomoNdRMGf

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