Global Impacts
Solving the Problem of World Hunger
Many argue that the increased production of food through the use of genetically modified organisms can provide essential food supply to impoverished countries in the developing world. However, access to these advanced technologies in underdeveloped countries could be inhibited by lack of capital to fund these programs. Tonight, 800 million people world will go to bed hungry. This number is down from the estimated 1 billion 50 years ago, but remains very high. Researchers believe that if these countries gain the knowledge and the resources to make genetic modifications that help produce larger yields, they can help curb the catastrophically high hunger rates around the world.
Environmental Contamination
Genetic modification has been found to have negative effects on the environment from which these GMO’s originated, potentially disrupting the natural ecosystems. For example, gene flow has caused the genes of modified crops to mix with those of their unmodified counterparts, causing the creation of a weed resistant to herbicide. In genetically modified fish, hormones are used to speed fish’s rate of growth; however, studies have found that these altered fish have little chance of mating with fish from the natural ecosystem, decreasing the chance of the ecosystem to grow and maintain itself. To address this issue, scientists are exploring remedies that will prevent gene flow—genetically modified traits contaminating their surrounding environment.
Economics and Trade
Due to the uncertainty concerning the safety of genetically modified products, trade of these products has become strenuous. Different countries have developed varying levels of scrutiny to regulate these products. In May 2003, the United States and 12 other countries filed a complaint against the European Union, who banned U.S. exports based on their regulations of certain genetically modified products. Until the safety and viability of genetically modified products can be confirmed, international trade will continue to be strained between these countries and other countries that have problems with the ambiguous nature of genetically modified organisms.
Many argue that the increased production of food through the use of genetically modified organisms can provide essential food supply to impoverished countries in the developing world. However, access to these advanced technologies in underdeveloped countries could be inhibited by lack of capital to fund these programs. Tonight, 800 million people world will go to bed hungry. This number is down from the estimated 1 billion 50 years ago, but remains very high. Researchers believe that if these countries gain the knowledge and the resources to make genetic modifications that help produce larger yields, they can help curb the catastrophically high hunger rates around the world.
Environmental Contamination
Genetic modification has been found to have negative effects on the environment from which these GMO’s originated, potentially disrupting the natural ecosystems. For example, gene flow has caused the genes of modified crops to mix with those of their unmodified counterparts, causing the creation of a weed resistant to herbicide. In genetically modified fish, hormones are used to speed fish’s rate of growth; however, studies have found that these altered fish have little chance of mating with fish from the natural ecosystem, decreasing the chance of the ecosystem to grow and maintain itself. To address this issue, scientists are exploring remedies that will prevent gene flow—genetically modified traits contaminating their surrounding environment.
Economics and Trade
Due to the uncertainty concerning the safety of genetically modified products, trade of these products has become strenuous. Different countries have developed varying levels of scrutiny to regulate these products. In May 2003, the United States and 12 other countries filed a complaint against the European Union, who banned U.S. exports based on their regulations of certain genetically modified products. Until the safety and viability of genetically modified products can be confirmed, international trade will continue to be strained between these countries and other countries that have problems with the ambiguous nature of genetically modified organisms.