Viewpoint: Once fierce opponents of GMOs, Australian Greens may be softening their hard-line stance

gmo aus
Image Credit: GMO Free Australia

A former radical environmental activist who made a stunning reversal on genetically-modified crops believes Australian farmers need access to the technology to help feed the world.

British writer Mark Lynas spent the 1990s railing against genetically-modified organisms (GMOs), including wrecking GM crops and attempting to steal the famously-cloned Dolly the Sheep.

But in 2013 he was ostracised from the movement he helped create after a shock “coming-out” speech detailed why no longer opposed GMOs.

Mr Lynas is in Australia to promote his latest book explaining his shift, saying he couldn’t defend the scientific consensus on climate change without doing the same on GM crops.

He believes farmers can get help from GM crops to counter the impacts of the changing climate, including higher temperatures, droughts and erratic rainfall.

While the Australian Greens maintain a policy calling for a moratorium on the further release of GMOs into the environment, Lynas believes groups like Greenpeace are softening their stance.

Lynas expects this country’s Greens will look for a way to get on “the right side of science” by moderating the party’s position.

Recently elected Liberal state governments in Tasmania and South Australia have promised to review the remaining moratoriums on GMOs in Australia.

Read, full original article: Anti-GM crop tide turning in Australia

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