ETC Group
Encyclopedia
ETC Group is an international organization dedicated to "the conservation and sustainable advancement of cultural and ecological diversity and human rights." The full legal name is Action Group on Erosion, Technology and Concentration. "ETC" is intended to be pronounced "et cetera."
The term ETC Group may also refer to an energy consulting company, ETC Group LLC.
(amongst others) to alleviate the plight of poor, mostly black tenant farmers in the U.S. In the early 1970s, Pat Mooney
, Hope Shand, and Cary Fowler began working on the Seeds Issue through the Rural Advancement Foundation—and, in time, set up an international arm concerned with the rights of farmers in the global south
.
RAFI pioneered civil society
research, critiques and advocacy on farmers rights, seed monopoly laws, and opposes adoption of genetic engineering
in agriculture, patents on life
and biopiracy
(a term that RAFI coined) and new life science technologies such as terminator technology
, genomic technologies, and nanotechnology
. RAFI played a key role is pushing for and shaping UN recognition of farmers' rights and the International Treaty on Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture
. By 2000, there was some confusion with the original Rural Advancement Foundation (now called RAFI-USA), so RAFI changed its name to ETC Group to reflect its wider scope of concern.
, including a campaign called "Hands off Mother Earth
!", which was launched in April 2010.
In October 2010 a comprehensive report titled "Geopiracy - The Case Against Geoengineering" was published, covering proposed technologies, governance discussions, geoengineering key players and the roles and interests of military and corporations.
Diana Bronson, of the ETC Group, stated global warming
was caused by "the scientific, corporate and political establishment of developed countries", to now think those same people will correct the climate crisis and the biosphere
is little bit naïve
.
The term ETC Group may also refer to an energy consulting company, ETC Group LLC.
History
Known as RAFI (Rural Advancement Foundation International) until 1 September 2001, the ETC Group traces its history back to the National Sharecroppers Fund that was established in the 1930s by Eleanor RooseveltEleanor Roosevelt
Anna Eleanor Roosevelt was the First Lady of the United States from 1933 to 1945. She supported the New Deal policies of her husband, distant cousin Franklin Delano Roosevelt, and became an advocate for civil rights. After her husband's death in 1945, Roosevelt continued to be an international...
(amongst others) to alleviate the plight of poor, mostly black tenant farmers in the U.S. In the early 1970s, Pat Mooney
Pat Roy Mooney
For more than thirty years, Pat Mooney has worked with civil society organisations on international trade and development issues related to agriculture, biodiversity and new technologies. Mooney has lived most of his life on the Canadian prairies...
, Hope Shand, and Cary Fowler began working on the Seeds Issue through the Rural Advancement Foundation—and, in time, set up an international arm concerned with the rights of farmers in the global south
Third World
The term Third World arose during the Cold War to define countries that remained non-aligned with either capitalism and NATO , or communism and the Soviet Union...
.
RAFI pioneered civil society
Civil society
Civil society is composed of the totality of many voluntary social relationships, civic and social organizations, and institutions that form the basis of a functioning society, as distinct from the force-backed structures of a state , the commercial institutions of the market, and private criminal...
research, critiques and advocacy on farmers rights, seed monopoly laws, and opposes adoption of genetic engineering
Genetically modified food
Genetically modified foods are foods derived from genetically modified organisms . Genetically modified organisms have had specific changes introduced into their DNA by genetic engineering techniques...
in agriculture, patents on life
Biological patent
A biological patent is a patent relating to an invention or discovery in biology. It can be a composition of matter, a method for obtaining or using one or more thereof, or a product combining such things...
and biopiracy
Biopiracy
- Biopiracy and bioprospecting :Bioprospecting is an umbrella term describing the discovery of new and useful biological samples and mechanisms, typically in less-developed countries, either with or without the help of indigenous knowledge, and with or without compensation...
(a term that RAFI coined) and new life science technologies such as terminator technology
Terminator Technology
Genetic use restriction technology , colloquially known as terminator technology, is the name given to proposed methods for restricting the use of genetically modified plants by causing second generation seeds to be sterile...
, genomic technologies, and nanotechnology
Nanotechnology
Nanotechnology is the study of manipulating matter on an atomic and molecular scale. Generally, nanotechnology deals with developing materials, devices, or other structures possessing at least one dimension sized from 1 to 100 nanometres...
. RAFI played a key role is pushing for and shaping UN recognition of farmers' rights and the International Treaty on Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture
International Treaty on Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture
The International Treaty on Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture , popularly known as the International Seed Treaty, is a comprehensive international agreement in harmony with the Convention on Biological Diversity, which aims at guaranteeing food security through the conservation,...
. By 2000, there was some confusion with the original Rural Advancement Foundation (now called RAFI-USA), so RAFI changed its name to ETC Group to reflect its wider scope of concern.
Geoengineering
The organisation has taken a public campaigning stance against geoengineeringGeoengineering
The concept of Geoengineering refers to the deliberate large-scale engineering and manipulation of the planetary environment to combat or counteract anthropogenic changes in atmospheric chemistry The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change concluded in 2007 that geoengineering options, such...
, including a campaign called "Hands off Mother Earth
Earth
Earth is the third planet from the Sun, and the densest and fifth-largest of the eight planets in the Solar System. It is also the largest of the Solar System's four terrestrial planets...
!", which was launched in April 2010.
In October 2010 a comprehensive report titled "Geopiracy - The Case Against Geoengineering" was published, covering proposed technologies, governance discussions, geoengineering key players and the roles and interests of military and corporations.
Diana Bronson, of the ETC Group, stated global warming
Global warming
Global warming refers to the rising average temperature of Earth's atmosphere and oceans and its projected continuation. In the last 100 years, Earth's average surface temperature increased by about with about two thirds of the increase occurring over just the last three decades...
was caused by "the scientific, corporate and political establishment of developed countries", to now think those same people will correct the climate crisis and the biosphere
Biosphere
The biosphere is the global sum of all ecosystems. It can also be called the zone of life on Earth, a closed and self-regulating system...
is little bit naïve
Naïve
Naivety , is the state of being naive—having or showing a lack of experience, understanding or sophistication. One who is naive may be called a naif.- Etymology :...
.
See also
- BiopiracyBiopiracy- Biopiracy and bioprospecting :Bioprospecting is an umbrella term describing the discovery of new and useful biological samples and mechanisms, typically in less-developed countries, either with or without the help of indigenous knowledge, and with or without compensation...
- GeoengineeringGeoengineeringThe concept of Geoengineering refers to the deliberate large-scale engineering and manipulation of the planetary environment to combat or counteract anthropogenic changes in atmospheric chemistry The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change concluded in 2007 that geoengineering options, such...
- Marine cloud brightening
- Mycoplasma laboratoriumMycoplasma laboratoriumMycoplasma laboratorium is a planned partially synthetic species of bacterium derived from the genome of Mycoplasma genitalium. This effort in synthetic biology is being undertaken at the J. Craig Venter Institute by a team of approximately 20 scientists headed by Nobel laureate Hamilton Smith, and...
- Gene patenting