Michael Meacher recently resigned from the environment portfolio in the UK. Government policy on GM foods was one of his concerns. This report from the Institute of Science in Society documents some of the recent concerns on GM foods in the UK and contains a summary of a recent speach by Michael Meacher

From The Institute of Science in Society, Science Society Sustainability http://www.i-sis.org.uk

Meacher Calls for Enquiry into GM Safety

Michael Meacher joined the ISP to call for an extended enquiry into GM safety, transparency and independence in scientific research, and an end to the victimisation of scientists whose research findings are ‘inconvenient’ for industry. Lim Li Ching reports

Environmental Issue report No 22, European Environmental Agency, Copenhagen, 2001.

This publication describes the use, non use, and possible misuse of the precautionary principle. It derives a number of criteria, or lessons, for the future application of the precautionary principle that can help minimise risks and maximise benefits and innovation. It is designed to improve awareness, understanding and "framing" of the issues raised by the precautionary principle, and to help improve its contribution to "sound and effective" policy-making. The report contains case studies on some major hazards (asbestos, benzene, acid rain, Great Lakes pollution, antibiotics in animal feed, BSE, CFCs, PCBs, sulphur dioxide, fisheries, medical radiation, etc.) for which there is information on the science about the health/environment impacts, and the costs/benefits.

16/02/02

With colleagues at Royal Hobart Hospital, particularly Dr Simon Brown, Director of the Emergency Dept., we are researching anaphylactic reactions to the Jack Jumper Ant (Myrmecia pilosula) an Australian native ant that accounts for about one quarter of all presentations with anaphylaxis (life threatening allergic reactions) to the Royal Hobart Hospital and is also an important cause of such reactions in southern Victoria, the Adelaide Hills and the bush areas around Sydney and Canberra. My Tasmanian colleagues have observed that echidnas prey on the nests of these stinging ants. It appears a reasonable hypothesis, yet to be proven, that expansion of this ant population beyond its limits in a balanced ecosystem may have occured because of reduced numbers and restricted movement of its predator, the echidna. Other small native mammals may also be involved as predators on the Myrmecia. If this hypothesis is correct, the major clinical problems and several human deaths in areas of Myrmecia pilosula prevalence might be regarded as an ecologically induced human health problem.

by Bryan Furnass 23 June 2003

Summary Australia is a world leader in per capita fossil fuel consumption and greenhouse gas emissions. More sustainable methods of energy production have been inhibited by government policies which have supported the mining industries at the expense of research and development in renewable energy technologies. We have the potential in terms of resources and expertise to become a world leader in energy sustainability through industrial development and lifestyle choices.

Australians, like other wealthy humans, use huge quantities of fossil fuel to produce and transport our requirements all over the nation and the world. We have become oblivious to our dependence on energy and assume our ‘modern’ lifestyle is sustainable. Production of oil will soon peak and the transition to renewable energy will involve a substantial reduction in energy use.

11 June 2003

Some oil companies are better than others. Greenpeace has identified Mobil/Exxon (Texaco) as one of the worse at present. They are the only company still supporting Shale oil in Australia (Gladstone), and their environmental and human rights record, as well as political lobbying (eg. against US signing Kyoto protocol) is notorious. Meanwhile, BP is the largest distributor of solar photovoltaic panels in Australia, though alternative energy is still a tiny fraction of total income from petroleum.

I am making a personal effort to avoid their petrol outlets. Perhaps this is little more than symbolic, but boycotts of Shell in Europe in the late 1980's was a significant reason for many multinationals to divest in South Africa and thus hastening the end of the Apartheid government due to worsening economic conditions. I have also recently placed bumper stickers on my car saying "Mobil = no.1 Climate Criminal" - sourced from Greenpeace.

From Dr. David King
Centre for General Practice, University of Queensland

I have recently installed a solar photovoltaic (PV) grid feed system and a solar hot water system. My out of pocket expenses after relevant rebates were $11,000 for the PV system and $1,500 for the solar hot water. Solar hot water is a more efficient use of sunlight, and will have a payback time on your investment in 4-9 years, depending on previous hot water usage - ie. payback in 25 - 33% of the 'payback' time on investment in solar electricity (PV). Thus solar power should be considered by all environmental activists as an affordable minimum step to aim for if your pre-existing system is nearing the end of its predicted lifespan, or sooner.