Former UK chief scientist: Europe’s opposition to GMOs ‘dangerously naive’ in the face of climate change

crop drought in tanzania
A field of dried crops in Tanzania due to a severe drought. Photo by Dwight Seaggreen

A former UK chief scientist has warned that politicians around the globe are ignoring science for the sake of short-term political opportunism.

This comes, Sir John Beddington argues, as growing urban populations are demanding more energy, water and food at a time when climate change is creating more natural weather disasters.

“There is a movement in Europe which is just against any genetically-modified plant used for food [and] that is so naive,” he said.

“There’s no doubt in the developing world, plants can be modified to be resistant to drought or insect pests and that is going to be very, very important moving into the future.

Sir John argues that the reality of gene editing in plants was to produce plants that were resistant to droughts, pests and diseases, all while boosting yields.

In an era of so-called ‘anti-science’, Sir John said it was more important than ever that scientist ensured their relevancy within society.

The GLP aggregated and excerpted this blog/article to reflect the diversity of news, opinion, and analysis. Read full, original post: Sir John Beddington warns ‘anti-science’ leads to poor policy decisions on climate change, GM crops

{{ reviewsTotal }}{{ options.labels.singularReviewCountLabel }}
{{ reviewsTotal }}{{ options.labels.pluralReviewCountLabel }}
{{ options.labels.newReviewButton }}
{{ userData.canReview.message }}

Related Articles

Infographic: Global regulatory and health research agencies on whether glyphosate causes cancer

Infographic: Global regulatory and health research agencies on whether glyphosate causes cancer

Does glyphosate—the world's most heavily-used herbicide—pose serious harm to humans? Is it carcinogenic? Those issues are of both legal and ...

Most Popular

Screenshot-2026-06-17-at-12.31.01-PM
Viewpoint: The dangerous influence of ‘woke’ post-modernism in science
ChatGPT-Image-Mar-10-2026-01_39_01-PM
Viewpoint—“Miracle molecule” debunked: Why acemannan supplements don’t work
covid-vaccine
Blocked by Kennedy’s CDC, validated by peer-reviewed scientists: Suppressed COVID vaccine study published in JAMA finds 50% risk cut
ChatGPT-Image-Jun-25-2026-12_23_17-PM
No, Bill Gates did not secretly engineer ticks to promote veganism
Sampling_a_strawberry_32206461974
Viewpoint: Which is worse: Trace PFAS ‘forever chemicals’ on strawberries or the fear that scares people away from eating them?
NYPICHPDPICT000011561063
Viewpoint: From magnetizing your head to taking useless supplements, the wellness craze has morphed into an obsession of the affluent
ChatGPT-Image-Jun-26-2026-01_21_33-PM
How the dubious, Trump-backed, addictive drug kratom could enrich cabinet secretary Markwayne Mullin
Screenshot-2026-06-25-at-11.18.03-AM
Viewpoint: Appreciating a simpler past without swallowing the misleading ‘nature is healthier and safer’ myth
Screenshot-2026-06-25-at-4.08.41-PM
Even in blue states, hospitals have continued to drop gender-affirming care for youths
Podolay_1_transplantacia_srdca_1968
From printers to pigs: The precarious future of organ transplants
Screenshot-2026-06-26-at-10.14.50-AM
Viewpoint: The facts behind the grifter-promoting wellness and anti-aging peptide craze: Don’t waste your money
ChatGPT-Image-Jun-26-2026-11_34_33-AM
Viewpoint: RFK, Jr.’s vaccine subterfuge campaign now flies below the media radar
Screenshot-2026-06-25-at-1.48.40-PM
Glyphosate affirmed as safe: Supreme Court rejects lawsuit claiming Roundup herbicide causes cancer, upholding EPA determination
ChatGPT-Image-Jun-19-2026-04_11_20-PM
Daubert for Dummies—Scientific Reliability in U.S. Courts: Daubert, Rule 702, and Made-for-Litigation Evidence
glp menu logo outlined

Get news on human & agricultural genetics and biotechnology delivered to your inbox.