Sections & Workgroups > Section on Biodiversity
Section on Biodiversity
The Section on Biodiversity, an initiative of the European Federation of Biotechnology, was founded on 27 February 2003. The main task of this section is to investigate and debate the impact of Biotechnology on Biodiversity.
Priority topics of the EFB Section on Biodiversity are:
- Benefits and threats from GMO’s
- How can the view on Biodiversity help in research and development?
- Enhance the knowledge about soil microbiology and agricultural biodiversity
- Biodiversity and Population Genetics: A wide field of research
- Active participation in the development and outlining of research programmes on an European level.
For further information, please contact the Chairman of the Section:
Klaus Ammann
Prof. hon. emeritus, former Director Botanic Garden, University of Bern
Rue de Monruz 20
CH - 2000 NEUCHATEL, Switzerland
Tel.: +41 32 721 40 83
Website: www.efb-central.org/Biodiversity/homepage.html
E-mail: klaus.ammann@ips.unibe.ch
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Message from Klaus Ammann, Chairman of the EFB Section on Biodiversity
Dear Reader,
As we all know Biodiversity / Biotechnology is a complex discussion field - and many people are worried about the impact of biotechnology on biodiversity, and it is easy to follow the opinions of opponents of green biotechnology without knowing the facts.
But there are also many who think that biotechnology could help to enhance and biodiversity and specifically help in conservation matters. The task of this Section is to investigate and debate the impact, whether positive or negative. In the last few years considerable progress has been made in the area of biosafety research.
Many opinions are around on whether biotechnology has a negative impact on biodiversity - or whether it might have positive effects - or both. Since we are dealing with biology, we encounter a complex situation when it comes to evaluate the organismal arguments. In addition is not only about organismal biodiversity, but also about ecology, about the intricate food web to give an example. And if we broaden the term biodiversity even more, we will also have to deal with IPR issues, with socio-economic impacts and cultural aspects. This is exactly where we will also make sure that the EFB Section Biodiversity will network with all its various units.
With the help of a newly lauched Forum called ASK-FORCE we will also try to give the section a more pro-active touch, it will hopefully develop into a very active network starting with a series of topics, presented as separate Forum entries: Biodiversity, Developing world, Public Research and Regulation, Activists, Philosophy, European Union matters. This forum will help us all to switch from pro-reactive to pro-active mode. After having seen a very positive development of green biotechnology out in the field, reaching soon 100 mio hectares planted, we can make up a balance also for biosecurity: There has been not a single incidence reported with some kind of negative impact, which can be clearly related to genetically modified crops. This does not mean that we need to become careless, it will be important to always raise the questions on biodiversity in modern agriculture.
It should be made clear that many aspects of negative impacts on biodiversity are caused by agriculture per se, including all kinds of management methods. It is precisely agricultural biotechnology which could help to remedy some of the detrimental impacts of agriculture (besides other management methods as well).