This is the juice. James Williams is a Pacifica radio affiliated journalist in the finest tradition of citizen reporting. xo L
Report from James Williams, Pacifica reporter in NY outside the Sean Bell trial
Posted: 26 Apr 2008 11:54 AM CDT
James Williams works with WBAI and the People’s Production House in NYC. ~N
Greetings! The Sean Bell verdict came down today, Friday, April 25th handed down by the 75 year old Judge Cooperman(hope I spelled it right) who is set to retire now. The officers who shot the 50 shots at Sean Bell, killing him, Joseph Guzman, and Trent Benefield who were severely injured, it was announced “NOT GUILTY” on all charges. Officers Cooper, whose shots were so far off it hit an elevated train at the Long Island Railroad, Officer Isnora, who got off the first shots, never identified himself, saying “bro, let me holla at you”, and of course, officer Oliver, who fired 31 shots(he emptied his gun then reloaded and shot again) were of course relieved. Oliver, and the others will remain on modified duties for now. Take note, the officers had been drinking liquor at the same club as Bell and his friends. Calls for the Federal Government to step in came immediately afterwards. The families of the persons shot tell me they will file a civil suit against the city, and the officers, not known when, or has it been done already. Mayor Michael Bloomberg has called for calm in and around the city, but demonstrators told me they want a call to action, saying “we’re taking it to the streets”, “shut this f—— city down, shut this m—-f—- city down, f— the police, they killing our kids, blacks will not stand for this g– d— s—- no more” this is just some of the sentiment after the verdict was read. Believe it or not, some of these were church going citizens, of all races. There was a white group of people standing in front of the courthouse their chant was “the courts, and the city of N.Y. is run by the KKK”!, amazing stuff. Also, Rev Davidson, whom I just met today calling for the bloods and the crips to call him so they can prepare for “action”. Would you believe a member of the crips walked up and handed him his business card, I mean, they got cards? What action I want to know? The New Black Panther Party saying “it’s on now, get ready N.Y.” Peoples Party declaring “it all ends now, be ready”, group of Af Ams, white, Hispanics, who claim to have several hundred members. Of all the interviews I did today, I probably can’t air any of it due to the cursing all around me, and the noise content and that’s to bad because I got some great interviews, but we can’t air them. I did a live interview on radio today and literally had to run around the corner of the courthouse! Caused my live interview to not be crisp!
I know i’m supposed to be neutral in my reporting, but I was truly touched and disturbed by this verdict. I have spent more than a year with the Bell family, Rev. Sharpton, Lawyer Hardy, Lawyer Rubinstein, Mr. Guzman, Mr. Benefield and their families, NAACP, Operation Push, made imortant contacts for the Community News Production Institute, became very close to my producers, you know who you are, editors, reporters fm FSRN, Pacifica, and of course PPH, but today, today, brought me to tears, how do you handle this, and the threats of violence to come. That being said, I will be receiving info on the coming demos from my sources, hopefully it won’t be to bad, but from what i’m told, expect the unexpected.
BLESSINGS
James B. Williams
Saturday, April 26, 2008
Friday, April 25, 2008
Mother Jones offers Interviews
NEWS FROM MOTHERJONES.COM
Our friend Richard Reynolds over at MoJo offers interviews with their writers all the time -- real experts on stuff. You should drop him a line some time. xxoo L
________________________
If Senate Republicans and Democrats don't act soon to settle a seven-month-old dispute, the 2008 elections may go virtually unregulated for the first time since the Federal Elections Comission was founded more than 30 years ago, says JONATHAN STEIN in an article just published on MotherJones.com.
The FEC normally has six commissioners, three from each party, but a Senate standoff has left four of these seats vacant, in spite of the fact that four commissioners must agree in order to act on most matters that come before the commission. Unless this is settled, says Stein, the 2008 election with be "an election with no referees."
To set up an interview with Mother Jones Washington-based reporter JONATHAN STEIN, call (415/31-1740) or email (reynolds@motherjones.com) Richard Reynolds.
Meanwhile, in case you missed Monday's email, here are five interview suggestions related to our May/June special issue on the "future of energy."
1) "The Seven Myths of Energy Independence"
PAUL ROBERTS, author of The End of Oil, argues that energy independence is "a populist charade masquerading as energy strategy." Fossil fuels are a finite--and planet-killing--source of fuel, he observes, and finding an alternative will require an economic and social transformation as great as the Industrial Revolution.
2) "Put a Tyrant in Your Tank"
Gone are the days when oil-rich nations made lucrative deals with U.S. oil companies to help them develop their oil, reports JOSHUA KURLANTZICK. Big Oil has little influence over Russia, Kazakhstan, Iran, Venezuela, Burma, and other oil-producing countries, he observes, and these state-run companies are proving even more ruthless and environmentally irresponsible than Big Oil.
3) "The Nuclear Option"
JUDITH LEWIS attempts to "shut out the chatter" from both sides and take a fresh look at the other "N" word. Nuclear power is expensive, flawed, and dangerous, she observes. But such is the urgency of the energy and environmental challenges we face that we cannot dismiss it out of hand.
4) "Scrubbing King Coal"
Energy companies' alternative fuel commitment comes down to a three-point strategy, says Mother Jones Senior Correspondent JAMES RIDGEWAY: "First, make small overtures toward developing renewable energy, and milk them for maximum PR value. Second, invest more generously in carbon-based 'alternative energy' that gets passed off as green. Third, invoke the goal of energy independence to pump, mine, transport, and sell more and more of the same old fuels to an ever-hungrier market."
Of the $3 billion BP spent on alternatives between 2006 and 2008, reports Ridgeway, about half is going to dubious alternatives like synthetic gas made from petroleum. BP's 2006 capital expenditures on oil and gas: $16.2 billion.
5) "Breaking the Gridlock"
Our current power system is inefficient and poorly equipped to deal with fluctuations in demand, reports JENNIFER KAHN. Kahn surveys various strategies for changing this, including a "Smart Grid," which would spread the load through microadjustments on how much power consumers use and when. Smart appliances could regulate themselves, making adjustments so subtle that consumers would hardly notice.
Our friend Richard Reynolds over at MoJo offers interviews with their writers all the time -- real experts on stuff. You should drop him a line some time. xxoo L
________________________
If Senate Republicans and Democrats don't act soon to settle a seven-month-old dispute, the 2008 elections may go virtually unregulated for the first time since the Federal Elections Comission was founded more than 30 years ago, says JONATHAN STEIN in an article just published on MotherJones.com.
The FEC normally has six commissioners, three from each party, but a Senate standoff has left four of these seats vacant, in spite of the fact that four commissioners must agree in order to act on most matters that come before the commission. Unless this is settled, says Stein, the 2008 election with be "an election with no referees."
To set up an interview with Mother Jones Washington-based reporter JONATHAN STEIN, call (415/31-1740) or email (reynolds@motherjones.com) Richard Reynolds.
Meanwhile, in case you missed Monday's email, here are five interview suggestions related to our May/June special issue on the "future of energy."
1) "The Seven Myths of Energy Independence"
PAUL ROBERTS, author of The End of Oil, argues that energy independence is "a populist charade masquerading as energy strategy." Fossil fuels are a finite--and planet-killing--source of fuel, he observes, and finding an alternative will require an economic and social transformation as great as the Industrial Revolution.
2) "Put a Tyrant in Your Tank"
Gone are the days when oil-rich nations made lucrative deals with U.S. oil companies to help them develop their oil, reports JOSHUA KURLANTZICK. Big Oil has little influence over Russia, Kazakhstan, Iran, Venezuela, Burma, and other oil-producing countries, he observes, and these state-run companies are proving even more ruthless and environmentally irresponsible than Big Oil.
3) "The Nuclear Option"
JUDITH LEWIS attempts to "shut out the chatter" from both sides and take a fresh look at the other "N" word. Nuclear power is expensive, flawed, and dangerous, she observes. But such is the urgency of the energy and environmental challenges we face that we cannot dismiss it out of hand.
4) "Scrubbing King Coal"
Energy companies' alternative fuel commitment comes down to a three-point strategy, says Mother Jones Senior Correspondent JAMES RIDGEWAY: "First, make small overtures toward developing renewable energy, and milk them for maximum PR value. Second, invest more generously in carbon-based 'alternative energy' that gets passed off as green. Third, invoke the goal of energy independence to pump, mine, transport, and sell more and more of the same old fuels to an ever-hungrier market."
Of the $3 billion BP spent on alternatives between 2006 and 2008, reports Ridgeway, about half is going to dubious alternatives like synthetic gas made from petroleum. BP's 2006 capital expenditures on oil and gas: $16.2 billion.
5) "Breaking the Gridlock"
Our current power system is inefficient and poorly equipped to deal with fluctuations in demand, reports JENNIFER KAHN. Kahn surveys various strategies for changing this, including a "Smart Grid," which would spread the load through microadjustments on how much power consumers use and when. Smart appliances could regulate themselves, making adjustments so subtle that consumers would hardly notice.
Story Assignment: Class and Taxes in Oregon
News Release
April 24, 2008
For More Information Contact:
* Chuck Sheketoff, Executive Director (503) 873-1201
* Mike Leachman, Policy Analyst (503) 873-1201
* Juan Carlos Ordóñez, Communications Director (503) 873-1201
Oregon State and Local Taxes Hit Poor and Middle Class Harder Than Rich, Study Finds
(Silverton) -- Oregon state and local taxes take a bigger bite out of the pocketbooks of poor and middle-class families than those of wealthy families, according to a new analysis released today by the Oregon Center for Public Policy (OCPP).
The figures were compiled for OCPP by the Washington, DC-based Institute on Taxation and Economic Policy. OCPP is presenting the information today to a state task force examining how to restructure Oregon's tax system.
"Oregon's tax system is upside down," said OCPP policy analyst Michael Leachman. "A tax system promotes opportunity when it is based on ability to pay. But in Oregon, those who can afford to pay more wind up paying the smallest share of their income."
Adding up all state and local taxes, Oregon's low-income families had an effective tax rate of 9.2 percent, compared to an effective rate of 7.8 percent paid by Oregon's wealthiest 1 percent of families.
The effective tax rate paid by Oregon's wealthiest families falls further, to 6.7 percent, when federal deductions for state income and property taxes are taken into account.
Though faring better than the poorest families, middle-income families in Oregon are also paying a larger share of their income than the wealthiest families. Families in the middle had an effective tax rate of 8.4 percent before federal tax offsets and 7.9 percent when factoring in the federal deductions.
According to Leachman, the bigger impact on poor and middle-class incomes is due to the income tax system going easy on the wealthy and to state and local property taxes and excise taxes, such as gasoline and cigarette taxes, eating up a larger share of the income of families in the middle and bottom than of those at the top.
Oregon's wealthy don't pay significantly more in income taxes because Oregon's income tax brackets and rates are flat compared to the federal system and the wealthy can fully use Oregon's subtraction for federal income taxes paid when calculating taxable income, said Leachman.
Even though the wealthy tend to own more valuable homes, the wealthiest 1 percent of Oregon families paid only 1.2 percent of their income in property taxes, compared to 2.6 percent for middle-income families and 4.6 percent for the poorest families.
The analysis comes as a task force created by the state legislature and appointed by the governor is reviewing Oregon's tax system. The Revenue Restructuring Task Force, which includes as one of its members OCPP executive director Chuck Sheketoff, is expected to issue its recommendations this November for the 2009 legislature.
Among the key changes recommended by OCPP is making our tax system more fair by expanding the Earned Income Credit, a tax credit that's targeted at boosting the income of low-income working families.
"The task force has a great opportunity to respond to the imbalance in our tax system and foster opportunity for low-income working Oregonians," said Sheketoff.
The Oregon Center for Public Policy is a non-partisan research institute that does in-depth research and analysis on budget, tax, and economic issues. The Center's goal is to improve decision making and generate more opportunities for all Oregonians.
- 30 -
April 24, 2008
For More Information Contact:
* Chuck Sheketoff, Executive Director (503) 873-1201
* Mike Leachman, Policy Analyst (503) 873-1201
* Juan Carlos Ordóñez, Communications Director (503) 873-1201
Oregon State and Local Taxes Hit Poor and Middle Class Harder Than Rich, Study Finds
(Silverton) -- Oregon state and local taxes take a bigger bite out of the pocketbooks of poor and middle-class families than those of wealthy families, according to a new analysis released today by the Oregon Center for Public Policy (OCPP).
The figures were compiled for OCPP by the Washington, DC-based Institute on Taxation and Economic Policy. OCPP is presenting the information today to a state task force examining how to restructure Oregon's tax system.
"Oregon's tax system is upside down," said OCPP policy analyst Michael Leachman. "A tax system promotes opportunity when it is based on ability to pay. But in Oregon, those who can afford to pay more wind up paying the smallest share of their income."
Adding up all state and local taxes, Oregon's low-income families had an effective tax rate of 9.2 percent, compared to an effective rate of 7.8 percent paid by Oregon's wealthiest 1 percent of families.
The effective tax rate paid by Oregon's wealthiest families falls further, to 6.7 percent, when federal deductions for state income and property taxes are taken into account.
Though faring better than the poorest families, middle-income families in Oregon are also paying a larger share of their income than the wealthiest families. Families in the middle had an effective tax rate of 8.4 percent before federal tax offsets and 7.9 percent when factoring in the federal deductions.
According to Leachman, the bigger impact on poor and middle-class incomes is due to the income tax system going easy on the wealthy and to state and local property taxes and excise taxes, such as gasoline and cigarette taxes, eating up a larger share of the income of families in the middle and bottom than of those at the top.
Oregon's wealthy don't pay significantly more in income taxes because Oregon's income tax brackets and rates are flat compared to the federal system and the wealthy can fully use Oregon's subtraction for federal income taxes paid when calculating taxable income, said Leachman.
Even though the wealthy tend to own more valuable homes, the wealthiest 1 percent of Oregon families paid only 1.2 percent of their income in property taxes, compared to 2.6 percent for middle-income families and 4.6 percent for the poorest families.
The analysis comes as a task force created by the state legislature and appointed by the governor is reviewing Oregon's tax system. The Revenue Restructuring Task Force, which includes as one of its members OCPP executive director Chuck Sheketoff, is expected to issue its recommendations this November for the 2009 legislature.
Among the key changes recommended by OCPP is making our tax system more fair by expanding the Earned Income Credit, a tax credit that's targeted at boosting the income of low-income working families.
"The task force has a great opportunity to respond to the imbalance in our tax system and foster opportunity for low-income working Oregonians," said Sheketoff.
The Oregon Center for Public Policy is a non-partisan research institute that does in-depth research and analysis on budget, tax, and economic issues. The Center's goal is to improve decision making and generate more opportunities for all Oregonians.
- 30 -
Story Assignment: Police Brutality and Racism
Institute for Public Accuracy
915 National Press Building, Washington, D.C. 20045
(202) 347-0020 * http://www.accuracy.org * ipa@accuracy.org
___________________________________________________
Friday, April 25, 2008
Police Brutality and Racism
Interviews Available
AP reports: "Three detectives were acquitted of all charges Friday in
the 50-shot killing of an unarmed groom-to-be on his wedding day, a case
that put the NYPD at the center of another dispute involving allegations
Florida and director of the Center for the Study of Race and Race
Relations. She is author of "Protecting Our Own: Race, Crime, and
African Americans."
She said today: "These cases -- Bell, [Amadou] Diallo -- explain
the African American community's reaction to the O.J. Simpson case and its
general disillusionment with the criminal justice system."
Rev. LENNOX YEARWOOD Jr., via Darryl Perkins, darryl@hiphopcaucus.org, http://www.hiphopcaucus.org
President of the Hip Hop Caucus, Yearwood said today: "This verdict exemplifies the inadequacy and shortcomings of local courts/criminal justice systems to adjudicate police shootings, especially those that result in death. We have not been witnesses to 'fair and impartial administration of justice for all Americans' as is stated in the mission of the Department of Justice. If the mission of the Department of Justice and rule of law is being broken, then the integrity of the institution and system is lost, and there is no rule of law. When there is no rule of law, people will organize to work for justice as a means to protect themselves out of necessity."
915 National Press Building, Washington, D.C. 20045
(202) 347-0020 * http://www.accuracy.org * ipa@accuracy.org
___________________________________________________
Friday, April 25, 2008
Police Brutality and Racism
Interviews Available
AP reports: "Three detectives were acquitted of all charges Friday in
the 50-shot killing of an unarmed groom-to-be on his wedding day, a case
that put the NYPD at the center of another dispute involving allegations
Florida and director of the Center for the Study of Race and Race
Relations. She is author of "Protecting Our Own: Race, Crime, and
African Americans."
She said today: "These cases -- Bell, [Amadou] Diallo -- explain
the African American community's reaction to the O.J. Simpson case and its
general disillusionment with the criminal justice system."
Rev. LENNOX YEARWOOD Jr., via Darryl Perkins, darryl@hiphopcaucus.org, http://www.hiphopcaucus.org
President of the Hip Hop Caucus, Yearwood said today: "This verdict exemplifies the inadequacy and shortcomings of local courts/criminal justice systems to adjudicate police shootings, especially those that result in death. We have not been witnesses to 'fair and impartial administration of justice for all Americans' as is stated in the mission of the Department of Justice. If the mission of the Department of Justice and rule of law is being broken, then the integrity of the institution and system is lost, and there is no rule of law. When there is no rule of law, people will organize to work for justice as a means to protect themselves out of necessity."
Wednesday, April 23, 2008
Story Assignment: Biofuels and Food Shortage
Institute for Public Accuracy
915 National Press Building, Washington, D.C. 20045
(202) 347-0020 * http://www.accuracy.org * ipa@accuracy.org
___________________________________________________
Wednesday, April 23, 2008
Food Crisis and Biofuels
Interviews Available
The Washington Post reports on its front page today: "More than 100
million people are being driven deeper into poverty by a 'silent
tsunami' of sharply rising food prices, which have sparked riots around the world and threaten U.N.-backed feeding programs for 20 million children, the top U.N. food official said Tuesday."
MARIA LUISA MENDONCA, marialuisa1@uol.com.br,
Maria Luisa Mendonca is based in Sao Paulo, Brazil, and is director
of the Social Network for Justice and Human Rights. She co-wrote an
article titled "Agrofuels: Myths and Impacts." She said today: "In many regions of [Brazil], the increase in ethanol production has caused the expulsion of small farmers from their lands, and has generated a dependency on the so-called 'sugarcane economy,' where only precarious jobs exist in the sugarcane fields. Large landowners' monopoly on land blocks other economic sectors from developing, and generates
unemployment, stimulates migration, and submits workers to degrading conditions.
"This model has caused negative impacts on peasant and indigenous
communities, who have their territories threatened by the constant
expansion of large plantations. The lack of policies in support of food production leads peasants to substitute their crops for agrofuels, and, as a result, compromises our food sovereignty. In Brazil, small- and medium-sized farmers are responsible for 70 percent of the food production for the internal market.
"It is necessary to strengthen rural workers' organizations to
promote sustainable peasant agriculture, prioritizing diversified food
production for local consumption. It is crucial to advocate for policies that guarantee subsidies for food production through peasant agriculture. We cannot keep our tanks full while stomachs go empty."
RACHEL SMOLKER, rsmolker@globaljusticeecology.org, http://www.globaljusticeecology.org
Research biologist at the Global Justice Ecology Project, Smolker said today: "The massive diversion of crops and land to producing biofuel crops instead of food is a major factor in the very dramatic food price increases. Governments and industries have foolishly pursued biofuels in spite of this and in spite of a cascade of scientific studies and statements from all levels of society which clearly
demonstrate that biofuels are not only exacerbating hunger, but also rural displacement, climate change and deforestation. Last week the UK instated its Renewable Transport Fuel Obligation for the use of biofuels even as the European Environment Agency warned that the EU-wide mandate should be reconsidered. Even the World Bank recently stated that biofuels are contributing to rising food prices and hunger.
"Incentives and mandates for the use of biofuels are being promoted
by agribusiness giants like Monsanto, ADM and Cargill along with big
oil, biotechnology and automobile industries -- all of whom stand to
profit enormously. The price is being paid right now by those who can
no longer afford food or access to land. Civil society is pushing back:
this week the Round Table on Responsible Soy is meeting in Buenos Aires
and will be met with intense opposition as people denounce the entire
concept of 'sustainable industrial agriculture' of the sort that has
despoiled so much of Argentina, Paraguay and Brazil.
"The International Assessment of Agricultural Science and
Technology for Development report took a strong position opposing industrial
agriculture and GE [genetically engineered] crops while a major new
report from University of Kansas makes it clear that GE crops have not
delivered on the promise of increased yields. We need new models for
food and energy production that do not leave people hungry and
displaced, do not contaminate our crop biodiversity and pollute our
water and soils, and do not leave food and energy production in the
hands of profit-seeking multinational corporations. People are beginning to wake up to this fact.
"Meanwhile, the food crisis is pushing biofuel proponents to argue
that the next generation of technologies based on cellulose will avert
problems with food competition and deliver greater climate benefits. In fact they could worsen the problems: There is limited space available
and we are losing land to desertification and deforestation at an
alarming rate. A few weeks ago, [the journal] Science published a pair
of articles showing that the greenhouse gas emissions that result from
indirect land use changes far outweigh any gains from substituting
fossil fuel use. Wood is considered to be one of the most promising
feedstocks. But demand for wood is skyrocketing as countries attempting
to meet Kyoto commitments are shifting to wood and other biomass for
heat and electricity production, as well as chemicals and manufacturing
processes.
"On top of that, the pulp and paper industry is undergoing a planned fivefold expansion and China has a very rapidly expanding wood products industry. The scale of demand for wood to satisfy all of these demands can only be met by further deforestation and by enormous industrial monocultures of fast-growing trees. The biotechnology industries are racing to genetically engineer both trees and microorganisms for these uses. Next month at the Convention on Biological Diversity, civil society organizations will be asking for a moratorium on the commercialization of GE trees because of the potential risks of contaminating native forests."
915 National Press Building, Washington, D.C. 20045
(202) 347-0020 * http://www.accuracy.org * ipa@accuracy.org
___________________________________________________
Wednesday, April 23, 2008
Food Crisis and Biofuels
Interviews Available
The Washington Post reports on its front page today: "More than 100
million people are being driven deeper into poverty by a 'silent
tsunami' of sharply rising food prices, which have sparked riots around the world and threaten U.N.-backed feeding programs for 20 million children, the top U.N. food official said Tuesday."
MARIA LUISA MENDONCA, marialuisa1@uol.com.br,
Maria Luisa Mendonca is based in Sao Paulo, Brazil, and is director
of the Social Network for Justice and Human Rights. She co-wrote an
article titled "Agrofuels: Myths and Impacts." She said today: "In many regions of [Brazil], the increase in ethanol production has caused the expulsion of small farmers from their lands, and has generated a dependency on the so-called 'sugarcane economy,' where only precarious jobs exist in the sugarcane fields. Large landowners' monopoly on land blocks other economic sectors from developing, and generates
unemployment, stimulates migration, and submits workers to degrading conditions.
"This model has caused negative impacts on peasant and indigenous
communities, who have their territories threatened by the constant
expansion of large plantations. The lack of policies in support of food production leads peasants to substitute their crops for agrofuels, and, as a result, compromises our food sovereignty. In Brazil, small- and medium-sized farmers are responsible for 70 percent of the food production for the internal market.
"It is necessary to strengthen rural workers' organizations to
promote sustainable peasant agriculture, prioritizing diversified food
production for local consumption. It is crucial to advocate for policies that guarantee subsidies for food production through peasant agriculture. We cannot keep our tanks full while stomachs go empty."
RACHEL SMOLKER, rsmolker@globaljusticeecology.org, http://www.globaljusticeecology.org
Research biologist at the Global Justice Ecology Project, Smolker said today: "The massive diversion of crops and land to producing biofuel crops instead of food is a major factor in the very dramatic food price increases. Governments and industries have foolishly pursued biofuels in spite of this and in spite of a cascade of scientific studies and statements from all levels of society which clearly
demonstrate that biofuels are not only exacerbating hunger, but also rural displacement, climate change and deforestation. Last week the UK instated its Renewable Transport Fuel Obligation for the use of biofuels even as the European Environment Agency warned that the EU-wide mandate should be reconsidered. Even the World Bank recently stated that biofuels are contributing to rising food prices and hunger.
"Incentives and mandates for the use of biofuels are being promoted
by agribusiness giants like Monsanto, ADM and Cargill along with big
oil, biotechnology and automobile industries -- all of whom stand to
profit enormously. The price is being paid right now by those who can
no longer afford food or access to land. Civil society is pushing back:
this week the Round Table on Responsible Soy is meeting in Buenos Aires
and will be met with intense opposition as people denounce the entire
concept of 'sustainable industrial agriculture' of the sort that has
despoiled so much of Argentina, Paraguay and Brazil.
"The International Assessment of Agricultural Science and
Technology for Development report took a strong position opposing industrial
agriculture and GE [genetically engineered] crops while a major new
report from University of Kansas makes it clear that GE crops have not
delivered on the promise of increased yields. We need new models for
food and energy production that do not leave people hungry and
displaced, do not contaminate our crop biodiversity and pollute our
water and soils, and do not leave food and energy production in the
hands of profit-seeking multinational corporations. People are beginning to wake up to this fact.
"Meanwhile, the food crisis is pushing biofuel proponents to argue
that the next generation of technologies based on cellulose will avert
problems with food competition and deliver greater climate benefits. In fact they could worsen the problems: There is limited space available
and we are losing land to desertification and deforestation at an
alarming rate. A few weeks ago, [the journal] Science published a pair
of articles showing that the greenhouse gas emissions that result from
indirect land use changes far outweigh any gains from substituting
fossil fuel use. Wood is considered to be one of the most promising
feedstocks. But demand for wood is skyrocketing as countries attempting
to meet Kyoto commitments are shifting to wood and other biomass for
heat and electricity production, as well as chemicals and manufacturing
processes.
"On top of that, the pulp and paper industry is undergoing a planned fivefold expansion and China has a very rapidly expanding wood products industry. The scale of demand for wood to satisfy all of these demands can only be met by further deforestation and by enormous industrial monocultures of fast-growing trees. The biotechnology industries are racing to genetically engineer both trees and microorganisms for these uses. Next month at the Convention on Biological Diversity, civil society organizations will be asking for a moratorium on the commercialization of GE trees because of the potential risks of contaminating native forests."
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