Side event at the MOP4, Bonn, Germany, 13 May 2008

Tools to support environmental risk assessment of transgenic crops

The GMO ERA project held another successful side event at the Fourth Meeting of the Parties (MOP4) in Bonn. The event featured the new Vietnam book and the project activities with UNEP GEF project in Vietnam, as well as the activities in Brazil, such as the PFOA pilot and the Brazil Expert Teaching Team's (ETT).

Dr. Manoela Pessoa de Miranda, the CBD Secretariat Program Officer in Risk Assessment, opened the side event with a welcome address highlighting the need for environmental risk assessment capacity-building in developing countries. Dr. David Andow, project coordinator, gave a brief overview of the project, and Dr. Pham Van Toan, Director of the Agrobiotechnology Program at MARD, presented the tools in the Vietnam book. Hoang Thi Thanh Nhan, MSc, Deputy Head of Nature Conservation Division, Vietnam EPA, spoke about the GMO ERA Project collaborations with the UNEP GEF project in Vietnam in order to strengthen ERA of transgenic crops and help Vietnam meet Cartagena Protocol obligations.

Dr. Julia Guivant, Professor at Federal University of Santa Catarina, presented the PFOA methodology in the Brazilian context and reported on the PFOA pilot process that was held in Brazil in March 2008. Dr. Eliana Fontes of Embrapa closed the side event with a presentation on the Brazil Expert Teaching Team (ETT) and the teaching tools that are being used to teach project methodologies to Latin American audiences. Eliana is the Latin American co-coordinator together with Dr. Deise Capalbo, who also aided the project at the side event.

download the side event leaflet from MOP4 (pdf 437 KB)

Thanks to all the contributors at the event!

The project has hosted side events at the previous MOPs:

Side events at the MOP3, Curitiba, Brazil, 13 and 14 March 2006

Tools to support environmental risk assessment of transgenic crops

The project held a successful and well-attended side event at MOP3 in Brazil. The event featured the project team of scientists in Brazil and the manner in which they have applied the project methodologies to research the impacts of Bt cotton in Brazil. They addressed questions of impacts on the diversity of pollinating insects, gene flow and possible management options, and design and implementation of a resistance management strategy.

Dr. Celso Omoto of the University of São Paulo explained the analysis of resistance risk posed by Bt cotton in Brazil, and the development of a resistance management strategy that will be implemented by the Ministry of Agriculture of Brazil. Dr. Paulo Barroso of Embrapa Cotton described the benefits gained by Brazil with the project’s approach to gene flow analysis, and a proposal for exclusion zones for management of gene flow in cotton now adopted in Brazil. Dr. Carmen Pires, of Embrapa Genetic Resources and Biotechnology, presented a systematic method for identifying non-target species most likely to be associated with a possible adverse effect.

Dr. Deise Capalbo, of Embrapa Environment, introduced the plans of the project in to build up an Expert Training Team in Brazil, and to develop with this team a teaching curriculum and teaching tools on the project methods.

The event manifested the support and need for in-depth scientific capacity building on environmental risk assessment driven by public sector scientists. We were pleased that the CBD Secretariat, the Swiss ambassador, and the Embrapa director all emphasized their support for the project.

Sponsored by Embrapa Environment, Embrapa Genetic Resources and Biotechnology, and Swiss Federal Office of the Environment.

Side events at the MOP2, Montreal, Canada, 30 May - 5 June 2005

Tools to support environmental risk assessment of transgenic crops

Embrapa, the Vietnam Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development and the GMO ERA Project hosted two side events. 80 participants attended, signing up for copies of the Kenya book.

Mr. Hamdallah Zedan of the CBD Secretariat, Ambassador Beat Nobs, head of the Swiss delegation, and Dr. Katharina Jenny of the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation gave the introductions in support of the project. Dr. Angelika Hilbeck pointed out where the text of the Cartagena Protocol, in particular Annexe 3 on risk assessment, is met by the project approach. Dr. Eliana Fontes of Embrapa presented the project methods in the Brazil case study, especially gene flow from Bt cotton and its consequences. Dr. Nguyen Van Tuat of MARD Vietnam showed how the application of the methods to Bt cotton in Vietnam came up with different results. Dr. David Andow wrapped up with an outlook on project plans for the next two years, and some highlights of the project activities in Kenya.

The events were sponsored by the Swiss Agency for Environment, Forests and Landscapes, the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation, Embrapa and MARD.

Side Event at the MOP1 in Kuala Lumpur, Tuesday 24 February 2004

Scientific Tools and Capacity Building for Environmental Risk Assessment

The side event was well attended by about 50 participants. Project members from Kenya, Brazil and Vietnam presented the workshops, and the project coordinators gave an overview of the project.