Plant scientists’ concern over meeting Horizon 2020 targets

Twenty leading European plant scientists have signed an open letter calling for the use of GM crops in order to meet European agricultural targets.

The letter, published in the UK’s The Daily Telegraph, says that unless GM crops are used, Europe faces “serious problems in reaching its ambitions of Horizon 2020”. The researchers particularly note the difficulty in meeting the Societal Challenges and encouraging the development of “world-class science”.

The signatories, which include Ian T Baldwin, director of the Max Planck Institute for Chemical Ecology, David C Baulcombe, Regius professor of Botany and Royal Society research professor in Plant Sciences at the University of Cambridge, and Nina Buchmann, professor of grassland sciences at ETH Zürich, call for three major issues to be addressed.

The plant scientists say that there should be continued or greater funding for plant science from Horizon 2020 to help meet the Societal Challenges. The researchers request that problems including “the loss of crop biodiversity” and overcoming unstainable agriculture should be more appropriately addressed in calls.

The researchers also call for plant scientists to have the training and ability to undertake field experiments. The signatories highlight that such experiments are often blocked on political grounds in many European countries. Where investigations are permitted to take place, vandalism often occurs, causing scientific and financial losses, with the researchers call this situation a “serious threat to science” and European society, which must be addressed. Vandals “must be prosecuted and held accountable,” it adds.

Finally, the researchers say that Europe must give the green light to growing safe GM plants, a move that is “essential to meeting the Horizon 2020 goal of removing barriers to innovation” and encouraging closer co-operation between the public and private sectors. Furthermore, GM regulation needs to be revised.

The signatories conclude that if the changes are not made, then Europe will lose its scientific competitiveness in basic and applied plant science, reducing the continent’s ability to “lead in global efforts to build a sustainable agricultural system”, address the most significant environmental challenges, and secure a long term food supply for all.