The Journal

Global Warming May Make GM Food A Necessity

A scientist yesterday warned that genetically modified food could become essential if global warming plunges Britain into a cold Russian-style climate.

Professor Tony Trewavas told the Edinburgh Science Festival there was real danger that global warming would bring about dramatic and rapid changes in Europe's climate with devastating impact on our agriculture and ability to feed ourselves.

He said some predictions suggest the Gulf Stream of warm water from the Caribbean could be "switched off" by climate change caused by global warming. The result would be an annual temperature drop of about 6pc, plunging Britain into freezing Russian-style winters and affecting native crops.

GM crops could then become essential because new plants could be created within a couple of years to survive the much colder climate and ensure a home-grown food supply.

The Edinburgh University plant expert said: "Global warming may bring about very unpleasant changes and they may happen very quickly. Genetic modification enables crops to be changed at speed - within a couple of years."

He insisted GM food was not dangerous, claiming millions of Chinese and Americans had been eating it for years without suffering so much as a headache.

Prof Trewavas also accused green campaigners of risking millions of lives in the third world by blocking the technology for unsound "political" reasons. He said GM food was essential to feed the 2.3 billion extra people in the world expected by 2025.

"Organic can only feed about three billion, but all those mouths have to be fed somehow if we are to avoid mass starvation."