GreenThug
Greenpeace acts as is their name should be GreenThug. The NGO’s most recent bit of hooliganism was aimed at the Brazilian government and its development of biotechnology. Greenpeace International forced a delay in voting by the government’s biotechnology council on whether to approve a strain of genetically-modified corn produced by Bayer when they “stormed” a “closed-door session...and demanded to participate in the talks....”
A Greenpeace official stated, “we believe these sessions must be open to the public because they will have an impact on people's lives.” A biotechnology council spokeswoman noted that “it made no sense for them to be there. They were there to create turmoil.”
Alda Lerayer, a professor of biotechnology at the University of São Paulo and Executive Director of the biotechnology information council explained that “delays in approval of seeds and other research may thwart President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva's plan to invest 10 billion reais ($4.9 billion) in biotechnology over the next decade to fuel growth in agriculture and other industries.” Furthermore, “companies and researchers will not run the risk of investing money and time when the rules don't work. This is bad for the country.”
Biotechnology is providing sustainable, environmentally sound tools for enhancing the lives of Brazilians, Americans and the rest of the world’s citizens. Greenpeace’s attempts to impede Brazilian science and industry are neither “green” nor peaceful.
See Bloomberg news story
See Brazilian biotechnology council website
