Thaís Brianezi
Reporter - Agência Brasil

Pinhais (Paraná) – Although its overall rating of the 8th Conference of the Parties to the Biological Diversity Conference (COP-8), which took place in Curitiba, Brazil, and ended on Friday, March 31, was that it was a failure, Greenpeace representatives declared that there were two small victories at the meeting, both attributed to the NGO Via Campesina (an international umbrella group in favor of land reform). "The prohibition of so-called terminator seeds and the inclusion of transgenic (genetically engineered) trees in the convention were both the result of pressure exerted by Via Campesina," said Greenpeace spokesperson, Paulo Adario, who coordinates its Amazon campaign.

A prohibition on the use of terminator seeds was made by the COP in 2000 and renewed at the Curitiba meeting. As for transgenic trees, a work group of specialists was set up to examine the problem and present proposals for the next meeting (COP-9).

Translation: Allen Bennett