News Release
5 June 2008


Contact info:
Ditdit Pelegrina
SEARICE (Philippines)
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Telefax: +632 922 6710
www.searice.org.ph

The World Sank Ocean Fertilization: 191 Countries Declare Moratorium

A regional non-government organization lauds the decision of the leaders of the world to declare a wide-ranging "de-facto moratorium" on ocean fertilization activities at the end of the 9th meeting of the U.N. Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) on 30 May 2008 in Bonn, Germany. This first-ever global decision on a geo-engineering technology spells the end of commercial plans to sequester carbon dioxide by dumping nutrients into the open ocean.

"The CBD decision is a victory for us Filipinos as the Philippines was one of the countries that were firm on the moratorium on ocean fertilization activities," says Ditdit Pelegrina, Executive Director of Southeast Asia Regional Initiative for Community Empowerment (SEARICE), an NGO working with local communities on the conservation and management of biological resources, including the impact of climate change technology on such resources and the community.

SEARICE along with other civil society organizations raised the alarm on the proposed 500 ton urea dumping experiments in Sulu Sea by Australia's Ocean Nourishment Corporation in November 2007. Over 250 civil society organizations, concerned government agencies and individuals urged DENR Secretary Lito Atienza to immediately stop the planned an ocean fertilization project.

Filipino marine experts, argued the negative impacts, including the potential for hazardous algal blooms of urea fertilization on Sulu Seas. Fisherfolks were alarmed at its potential impacts to phelagic fishes (galunggong) which is the main protein source and livelihood of fishing communities around the proposed experiment site. Sea weed growers raised concern on potential impacts of urea dumping experiments on seaweed production.

"The Filipinos stepped up the challenge during the convention as DENR Undersecretary Manuel Gerochi raised these concerns during the CBD negotiations," said Corazon de Jesus, SEARICE policy advocacy officer who attended the convention as part of the official Philippine delegation.

De Jesus said Ghana and other African nations led the negotiations towards the moratorium, supported by Europe, Southeast Asia and some Latin American nations.

The Philippine delegation managed to push for the adoption of indigenous and local communities' participation in monitoring and documenting the impacts of such technologies on marine and coastal biodiversity.

"The challenge now is to ensure that no ocean fertilization activity will ever take place off our biodiversity rich seas. This must be stopped as it compromises health, food security, food safety, and marine biodiversity being conserved and sustainably utilized by farmers, local communities and indigenous peoples," explained Pelegrina.


The agreement at the CBD was for countries to ensure that ocean fertilization activities do not take place until there is an adequate scientific basis on which to justify such activities, including assessing associated risks.


The moratorium makes a limited exception for small scale scientific research, but warns that such studies should only be authorized if justified by the need to gather specific scientific data. It should also be subject to a thorough assessment of the potential impacts of the research studies on the marine environment. It should be strictly controlled and not used to generate and sell carbon offsets or any other commercial purposes. (END)

06/02/2008 | 09:03 PM

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MANILA, Philippines - In April, Filipino consumers were queuing for cheap, rationed rice as government officials tried to dispute reports of a rice crisis. Young and old, especially from urban poor communities, lined up under a sea of umbrellas, sweating while counting spare change for the three-kilogram limit per person. By midday, sometimes earlier, the sacks of rice were empty.

President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, meanwhile, announced the P43.7-billion Fertilizer, Irrigation and Infrastructure, Extension and Education, Loans, Dryers and other post-harvest and post-production facilities, and Seeds (FEEDS) program, a support package for the agriculture sector aimed at food security.

The government later unveiled the complementary Rice Self-sufficiency Plan aimed to boost rice yield that would match the country's consumption by 2010. The government promised to make the leap from top rice importer to rice self-sufficiency in two years.

Agriculture and policy experts, both in government and private sector, however, said the Arroyo administration's subsidy-driven program was a "quick fix" to the rice crisis, not a sustainable rice sufficiency plan.

With heavy subsidies, the FIELDS-powered rice master plan was an attempt at doing the right thing and playing politics, consequently leaving much room for political largesse, critics said.

Of the P43.7 billion fund, seed subsidies will get the second biggest allocation at P9.3 Billion, bigger than the funds earmarked for irrigation.

In 2006, the Senate questioned the move when the Department of Agriculture asked for the approval of a P408-million subsidy for hybrid seeds.

" Baka pagdating dito sa 2007 ay meron na namang provision. Maraming nagrereklamo nitong subsidy na ito, ha (When 2007 comes another provision might come out. There were already complaints about this subsidy)," former Sen. Franklin Drilon warned Agriculture Undersecretary Jesus Paras during the budget hearing.

"This is the last year," Paras replied. Agriculture officials assured Drilon six times during the hearing that the subsidy for hybrid seeds would end in 2007.

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SEARICE STATEMENTS ON TECHNOLOGY TRANSFER AND COOPERATION

SEARICE a regional non-government organization, working with farming communities in Southeast Asia, welcomes the report from the CBD Secretariat, but also emphasizes and takes note of the following recommendations for the effective and practical implementation, especially as it will relate to and benefit developing countries and diverse local communities around the world dependent on the sustainable use and conservation of biodiversity:

1. The strategy has identified a consultative multi-stakeholder process in the identification and assessment of priority technology needs to come up with an enabling environment for transfer of technology and
cooperation. In this regard, it is emphasized that a multi-stakeholder approach should considerably involve and enable the active participations of local communities, civil society organizations, and other relevant local organizations, so that the process expands cooperation and technology transfer support not only as part of national strategies but permeates at the local level in coordination and participation of local governments, communities, and various organizations.

2. The exploration and development of a Biodiversity Technology Initiative should likewise involve the participation of local communities, civil society organizations and other relevant organizations, as they are rich sources of local knowledge and informal
innovations and beneficiaries and implementors of biodiversity initiatives.

3. It is moreover emphasized that opportunities for further research on the role of intellectual property rights in technology transfer should equally consider and endeavor to explore and assess alternatives to intellectual property rights as a means to support and promote cooperation and technology transfer. In this respect, the Parties are recommended to consider and support practices and community endeavors
and initiatives of local communities and relevant organizations that continue to become rich sources of experiences and informal innovations
that do not necessarily rely on intellectual property rights for technology transfer and cooperation.

Thank you, Madam Chair.

Datum: Mai 21 2008 Zeit: 11:30 - 12:30 P.M. Schauplatz: Munsterplatz

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