(作物永續發展協會翻譯/整理1050701)
超過100位諾貝爾獎得主簽署了一封寫給綠色和平組織、聯合國及各國政府的公開信，信中呼 籲綠色和平組織停止他們對基改作物的抵制，特別是對黃金米的抵制;並呼籲各國政府一同支 持基因改造技術，反對綠色和平組織對基改食品的不理性指控。 黃金米是為了解決開發中國家維他命A缺乏(Vitamin ADeficiency)而研發的基因改造作物。每年 有2.5億人因維他命A缺乏而受苦，包含40%居住在開發中國家的兒童。發起人之一，1993年諾 貝爾生醫獎得主Richard Roberts在受訪時表示:「我們是科學家，我們懂得科學的邏輯。綠色和 平組織的所做所為深具破壞性而且反科學，這是很顯而易見的。」週四(6/30)早上信件發出以 來，連署名單還在不斷增加中。(信件全文如下)
諾貝爾獎得主寫信支持精準農業(基因改造生物)
致綠色和平組織的領導者、聯合國以及世界各國政府
聯合國糧食與農業計劃指出，在2050年以前，全球食品、飼料和纖維的生產量 大約需要增加一倍，以滿足不斷增長的全球人口的需求。反對現代植物育種的組 織在綠色和平組織的領頭下，一再否認這些事實和反對生物技術運用在農業上的 創新成果。他們扭曲了風險、效益和影響，並支持破壞合法的田間試驗和研究。
我們敦促綠色和平組織及其支持者重新審視全球農民和消費者使用生物技術改 良作物與食品的經驗，正視權威科學機構和監督機構的調查結果，並放棄對所有 基改作物，特別是對「黃金米」的反對運動。
世界各地的科學研究與政府機構多次而且不斷地確認，經由基因改造技術所改良 過的作物和食物跟經由其他方法育種的作物和食物一樣安全，甚至可能更為安 全。世界上也沒有任何一例因食用基改食品而造成健康危害的確證案例，不論在 人或動物身上都沒有。而基改作物對環境的破壞更少，而且對全球的生物多樣性 是一大助力。
綠色和平組織帶頭反對「黃金米」的研發，而「黃金米」的研發目前被視為是具 有潛力減少或消除因缺乏維生素A (VAD)而引起的疾病和死亡，缺乏維生素A目 前影響最嚴重的主要發生在非洲和東南亞地區的最窮困的人民身上。
據世界衛生組織估計，2.5億人為維生素A缺乏(vitamin A deficiency, VAD)所 苦，其中包括40%居住在開發中國家的五歲以下兒童。根據聯合國兒童基金會統 計，每年共有1至2百萬可預防的死亡因為VAD而發生，因為VAD會損害免疫系 統，讓嬰兒和兒童處於極大風險中。VAD本身是兒童失明的首要原因，每年影響 25到50萬名兒童，有一半的人會在失去視力的12個月內死亡。
我們呼籲綠色和平組織停止對於「黃金米」以及所有生物技術改良作物的反對運 動。
我們呼籲世界各國政府拒絕綠色和平組織對於「黃金米」以及所有生物技術改良 作物的反對運動;盡其所能與職權抗衡綠色和平組織的行動並加速所有現代生物 學工具於農民之使用，尤其是經由生物技術改良的種子。僅奠基於情感和信條而 不符合科學數據的反對必須停止。
世界上還要有多少貧窮的人死去，我們才會認為這樣的反對是「違反人道的犯 罪」?
誠摯的,
諾貝爾獎得主簽署名單請看此處
連署網站以及信件原文
了解更多: 作物永續發展協會
其他媒體報導:
蘋果日報: 基改作物能救窮人諾貝爾得主連署力挺
端傳媒: 109位諾獎得主連署公開信，要求綠色和平停止反對轉基因生物
關鍵評論網: 109位諾貝爾獎得主‥綠色和平，不要再反基改了
Laureates Letter Supporting Precision Agriculture (GMOs)
To the Leaders of Greenpeace, the United Nations and Governments around the world
The United Nations Food & Agriculture Program has noted that global production of food, feed and fiber will need approximately to double by 2050 to meet the demands of a growing global population. Organizations opposed to modern plant breeding, with Greenpeace at their lead, have repeatedly denied these facts and opposed biotechnological innovations in agriculture. They have misrepresented their risks, benefits, and impacts, and supported the criminal destruction of approved field trials and research projects.
We urge Greenpeace and its supporters to re-examine the experience of farmers and consumers worldwide with crops and foods improved through biotechnology, recognize the findings of authoritative scientific bodies and regulatory agencies, and abandon their campaign against “GMOs” in general and Golden Rice in particular.
Scientific and regulatory agencies around the world have repeatedly and consistently found crops and foods improved through biotechnology to be as safe as, if not safer than those derived from any other method of production. There has never been a single confirmed case of a negative health outcome for humans or animals from their consumption. Their environmental impacts have been shown repeatedly to be less damaging to the environment, and a boon to global biodiversity.
Greenpeace has spearheaded opposition to Golden Rice, which has the potential to reduce or eliminate much of the death and disease caused by a vitamin A deficiency (VAD), which has the greatest impact on the poorest people in Africa and Southeast Asia.
The World Health Organization estimates that 250 million people, suffer from VAD, including 40 percent of the children under five in the developing world. Based on UNICEF statistics, a total of one to two million preventable deaths occur annually as a result of VAD, because it compromises the immune system, putting babies and children at great risk. VAD itself is the leading cause of childhood blindness globally affecting 250,000 – 500,000 children each year. Half die within 12 months of losing their eyesight.
WE CALL UPON GREENPEACE to cease and desist in its campaign against Golden Rice specifically, and crops and foods improved through biotechnology in general;
WE CALL UPON GOVERNMENTS OF THE WORLD to reject Greenpeace’s campaign against Golden Rice specifically, and crops and foods improved through biotechnology in general; and to do everything in their power to oppose Greenpeace’s actions and accelerate the access of farmers to all the tools of modern biology, especially seeds improved through biotechnology. Opposition based on emotion and dogma contradicted by data must be stopped.
How many poor people in the world must die before we consider this a “crime against humanity”? Sincerely,