2009 Climate Change Summit: Barack Obama and Stephen Harper - food for thought

The Climate change summit in Copenhagen next week will see all non western countries point to us as the bad guys.  Climate change, though serious, have many looking to U.S. President Barak Obama as the environmental Dali Lama.

Western nations, including Canada's Conservative Prime Minister Stephen Harper are seen as not holding up their end of the climate change bargain.  One can be certain the cleanup of the Alberta Oil Sands (implemented in 1980 by Federal Liberal Prime Minister Pierre Elliott Trudeau's government as their National Energy Program legacy) will be front and centre. There will be demands placed on Prime Minister Harper and the Canadian taxpayer to clean up the sins of our liberal forefathers.

Media reports from around the world always seem to place blame to western countries like the USA and Canada. Of course many of these countries are recipients of our generous scientific advances, not to mention the billions in aid to assist them in their food production and climate change goals.

The west, always a leader in scientific advances to developing countries have no control how these countries handle these scientific developments, they seem to use it for the wrong reasons. Perhaps Prime Minister Stephen Harper and President Barak Obama should tell those detractors of our two countries to holster their wagging fingers and look in their own backyard. Perhaps bring up a fact that Asia Pacific countries who grow food for "Cheap" export and profit to western countries increase environmental damage, as well as undercut local food prices grown in these western countries. This act by Asia Pacific countries not only undermine western farmers, but will eventually kill our own farming industry. 

Exporting food to countries who grow the same food makes no environmental sense, except line the pockets of those who export it.

New Zealand export beef and lamb to Canada.  New Zealand beef and lamb is cheaper to export and purchase in Canadian stores than Alberta beef and lamb. This results in Alberta looking to the US markets to sell their meat. 

The US has cattle and sheep, so why are they importing meat?  If one is serious about the environment, then exporting and transporting foods to countries where it is not needed is not environmentally responsible.

On the topic of food technology, in 2009 the recent development by Dr. Herbert Kronzucker in establishing a new Super Rice to stave off world hunger will provide a much needed staple fighting world hunger. In the words of Dr. Kronzucker “Food is as fundamental as health to human rights,” he said. “It will be made available to all of the world's farmers.”

In the 1960s another plant geneticist, Dr. Borlaug answered the call to stave off world hunger. Dr. Borlaug's research and development in plant research to developing countries such as India, Pakistan, Africa and Asian countries stemming mass starvation through the development of hardier plants to grow in less than ideal conditions. Dr.Borlaug received the Nobel Prize for his efforts and is considered the father of the Green Revolution.
 

The discoveries of plant genetic engineering by Dr. Borlaug and Dr. Kronzucker are meant to cure a problem and feed those in need for generations to come.  Unfortunately, the adage of "Give a man a fish; you have fed him for today. Teach a man to fish; and you have fed him for a lifetime” philosophy has and will be taken to the extreme by those farmers and governments on the brink of a food shortage who see gold in their future. 

In the 1960s when India, Africa and many other countries were on the verge of mass extinction, genetically modified foods developed in the United States by Dr. Borlaug brought life back to these nations. 

Developing nations such as India and other countries benefited from this new farming discovery and found success growing these genetically modified plants beyond their wildest dreams. India is now one of the worlds largest exporters of food.

Halting mass starvation also resulted in population growth and improving India's economy.  Farmers realized quadrupled yields from their harvest and experienced an improvement in the standard of living.  India's farmers soon realized more is better.   Increased yields meant extra crops could be sold for profit. A profit, increased standard of living and improved health saw increased birthrates and expanding families to help out on the farm.  It was only a matter of time before capitalism reared its ugly head as India's farmers grew more than they needed and exported the rest of the produce to other countries.

Growing food requires a host of chemicals, pesticides, herbicides, fertilizers, algaecides, fungicides, not to mention transportation, increased chemical and food processing plant production and other pollutants. Growing more food than what is required, for profit increases environmental damage to the land, water and human life, creating an environmental burden. 

In 2009, National Geographic reported that India is experiencing a generation of new mutations and cancers in these farmers families, as a result of increased chemical use in order to grow these Super Crops.  It has been reported the soil is so saturated with chemicals that the water table below is undrinkable. It has been said future generations are also at risk of these mutagenic diseases, eventually becoming sterile.

Will the recent development of a "Super Rice" near the oceans bordering Asia pacific countries follow India's environmental path? If human nature is any indication, rest assured future generations, water, fish, wildlife  and the planet will be at risk.

Growing food beyond your requirements for export and profit cannot justify a means to an end, if that end means increased disease and environmental damage.

The climate change conference in Copenhagen in seven days time has one leading East Asian scientist, Dr. Rajendra Pachauri state our western lifestyle is unsustainable and western consumption must be curtailed. Perhaps climate change should take a momentary backseat at this conference and apprise this scientist of India's past and the future consequence of the land, fish and oceans bordering Asia pacific countries who look to food production as a means for export and profit instead of solving starvation.

China is one of the world leaders in exporting cheaper food, consumer products and chemicals used for farming and industry. It has been said,  Asia's cheap labour force results in cheaper prices for all exports to Western countries. Every product made in China can be produced in the West, though at a higher price.  If western consumers of cheap Asian products are serious about the environment, then perhaps a reality check is in order.

One wonders if Dr. Pachauri should direct some of that accusatory  environmental energy to Pacific rim countries around Asia's land,water and human equation.

A voice of reason needs to be heard at this conference. A voice that needs to ask the hard environmental questions and show the world the big picture.

It's a fact Asia Pacific countries have little precious arable land, hence the use of genetically modified crops to grow in less favourable condition. There will come a day that their soil will never grow anything, becoming sterile of nutrients and saturated with chemicals and pesticides. Then what? Arable land is seen as a gift by farmers the world over, to kill it is insanity. Soil that cannot support plant life cannot capture carbon dioxide, one facet of a plant is their ability to regulate the planet's carbon dioxide emissions.

The west for centuries have produced enough food to meet the needs of the people. So in ending, is there a need to import foods from other countries when these foods are grown locally, in plenty of arable land and more environmentally friendly?

The adage of "Reap what you sow" has never been clearer, India's health is proof of that!