Tuesday, November 16, 2010

By Alistair Driver

In a Europe-wide survey, 61 per cent of respondents said the development of GM food should not be encouraged, while only 23 per cent supported for the technology.

The survey reveals an ‘overall suspicion of GM foods amongst the European public’ and showed that EU citizens do not see benefits of it and consider it to be ‘probably unsafe or even harmful’. They doubt its economic benefits and believe GM food harms the environment.

The Eurobarometer report on biotechnology showed significant variation between member states, with the UK emerging as one of the biggest supporters of GM food, even though, on balance, the public is still opposed.

Juts over a third, 35 per cent, of UK respondents were in favour of the development of GM food against 45 per cent who were opposed. Only the Czech Republic and Iceland showed greater support for GM food.

Greece (82 per cent), Latvia (80 per cent) and Croatia (77 per cent) were the countries most firmly opposed to GM food. Of the big EU players, Germany (72 per cent), France (71 per cent) and Italy (64 per cent) all showed high levels of opposition, while, even in Spain, where GM crops are grown, 49 per cent were opposed, compared with 27 per cent in favour.

The research, carried out across Europe in February this year, showed the EU public have similarly ‘strong reservations’ about animal cloning in food production. As a whole they feel equally ‘uneasy’ about cloning and ‘do not see the benefits’.

Only 15 per cent of EU citizens feel it should be encouraged against an overwhelming 70 per cent who insist it should be discouraged. The UK survey showed just 21 per cent in favour, compared with 65 per cent against.

The negative attitudes towards GM food and cloning came despite overall support within the EU for biotechnology and genetic engineering in its wider applications, which also include nonotechnology and various uses in human medicine.

A small majority 53 per cent agreed that biotechnology and genetic engineering would have a ‘positive effect’ on their way of life, compared with 20 per cent who said it would have a negative effect.

EU consumers are ‘generally unaware’ of nanotechnology but are ‘not excessively alarmed’ about potential negative consequences and feel it should be encouraged.

The survey also showed that the public feel biofuels should be encouraged and that development of sustainable biofuels is ‘overwhelmingly supported’.

The survey
The Eurobarometer survey on biotechnology was cConducted by TNS Opinion and Social at the request of the European Commission in February. The key results as far as GM food and animal cloning for food are concerned are summarised below.:

GM foods

• 61 per cent of EU citizens disagreed that the development of GM food should be encouraged, while only 23 per cent agreed.
• 70 per cent agreed GM food is fundamentally unnatural.
• 61 per cent agreed it makes them feel uneasy.
• 59 per cent disagreed that it is safe for their health and that of their family.
• Less than a third believed GM food was good for their national economy, although in the UK more agreed with this than disagreed.
• 43 per cent agreed it helps people in developing countries against 37 per cent who disagreed.
• 23 per cent agreed it does no harm to the environment while 53 per cent disagreed.

Animal cloning in food production

• 70 per cent of respondents disagreed that animal cloning in food production should be encouraged, while only 15 per cent agreed.
• 77 per cent agreed that it is fundamentally unnatural.
• 67 per cent agreed that it makes them feel uneasy.
• 57 per cent agreed that animal cloning in food production is not good for either themselves or their families.
• 64 per cent disagreed that it is safe for future generations, while only 17 agreed.
• 54 per cent feel it benefits some people but puts others at risk.
• 60 per cent do not consider it to be good for the national economy.

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