A “doomsday vault” for the world’s seeds opened in a mountainside on a Norwegian Arctic island on Tuesday but you won’t find seeds of genetically engineered crops protected in the cavern.
Why not?
The short answer is that Norway bans the import of biotech crops, or GMOs, so the vault near Longyearbyen, about 1,000 km from the North Pole, can store only natural varieties of the world’s seeds.
Apart from the import ban, officials argue GMO seeds are unnecessary. GMOs were created from natural wild seeds so scientists could re-engineer pest-resistant maize or bigger tomatoes if there were ever a disaster that threatened the world’s agriculture. And GMOs represent only a tiny fraction of crop diversity.
GMOs were once famously described by Greenpeace as “Frankenfoods”, but does it make sense to shut GMO seeds out of doomsday planning? After all, even if you don’t like them, they probably won’t be doing much harm frozen in a vault underground in an area of permafrost?
After a cataclysm such as a nuclear winter that could wipe out crops — the vault is an insurance policy against such disasters — you’d surely want the highest-yielding crops as soon as possible to feed survivors rather than send scientists off to a laboratory?
Or is there a remote nightmare scenario under which GMO crops themselves could disrupt world agriculture — and so justify the Arctic “Noah’s Ark”?
What do you think?
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13 comments so far
I believe folks will be killing each other for a mouthful of water. Would seem reasonable to believe they will do the same for food.
A nuclear winter is a possibility. We would be fools to stick our heads in the sand and say “never”. Nightmare scenarios are less remote than one might think.
- Posted by Oznog[…] [News]doomsday vault Cool~~~~ That sounds incredible! Another news said they won’t store GMO seeds: http://blogs.reuters.com/environment/200 8/02/26/arctic-doomsday-vault-for-seeds- opens-except-gmos/ […]
- Posted by [News]doomsday vault « Weber plus EnglishMost, if not all, GMOs are engineered to grow one crop only-if you want to grow another crop, you must buy more seeds from Monsanto.
- Posted by G. L. JonesIf one, only one, mutant GMO cross-pollinates with a natural, un-engineered, drop, there is a good chance that that eventually all seeds will be contaminated, and no future crops will be viable.
[…] Reuters wonders why GMO seeds were left out — what do you […]
- Posted by “Doomsday” seed vault opens at make it newsIt is best to keep GM/GMO products out of the vault… such frankenseeds have already cost the American farmer too much in lost revenue due to lack of markets for exportation. Plus, the biotech companies can’t control their frankenseeds, and have nearly ruined certain crops (like canola or rice, for instance) in particular growing areas.
Anyway, the biotech companies would most likely charge the vault to store the frankenseeds anyway!
- Posted by ChrisWe are right to keep the GMOs out for many reasons. This vault is a great idea because we have been close to all out nuclear war during the cold war so why can’t it repeat.
- Posted by DanWe are on the brink and must unite in order to survive against something that we created. Whether it be nuclear weapons or climate change/global warming. Thanks for reading
The sybolsim of the image of the doomsday vault opening, seen on front pages of newspapers around the world, will surely wake people up more and more to the possible dangers of global warming and climate change. Forget nuclear winter. I think this is really all about global warming “winter”, in the distant future, far far away from now.
But one thing I was not clear on. One report, from the German news agency dpa, said the vault was guaranteed to last by the builders just for 200 years, the report even quoted an official as saying that. So if this vault is only good for 200 years or so, what’s all the fuss all about?
The reporter for dpa, Leonart Simonsson, wrote the story that said 200 years. Can someone check on this? Maybe “guarantee” is just a contractual term, to protect the builders by contract?
But all in all, I applaud this wonderful idea to wake people up about the real possibility that someday in the far distant future, humans might have to live in similar doomsday vaults to weather the Long Emergency that some doomsayers talk about. I hope it never comes to that. Maybe this seed bank can serve as a good wake up call for all of us. We need to act now, to fight global warming today. Not later. Now.
- Posted by Danny BloomGMOs don’t belong in the Svalbard Global Seed Vault. Genetically modified crops are not higher-yielding; rather, they have been engineered for two traits only: insect resistance and herbicide tolerance. GM crops, bred for uniformity - the hallmark of industrial agriculture - depend on expensive inputs such as fertilizers, pesticides, and irrigation. Further, these crops are not as well equipped to withstand harsh conditions in marginal farming environments as are open-pollinated, standard, and heirloom varieties. Heirloom food crops, developed by generations of farmers and gardeners and preserved because of their many fine traits, are more adaptable - yet many are on the verge of extinction due to market forces. Crop genetic diversity will enable us to adapt to climate change in the decades ahead. The Svalbard Vault is the repository and insurance policy for these precious seeds. Breeders looking for “climate tolerant” genes begin by looking at crops that thrive in stressful environments such as intense heat, water scarcity, high altitude, high winds, and salt water. Standard varieties have the genetic advantages (that GMOs lack) and will provide the best bet for surviving and adapting to rapid climate change.
- Posted by Dr. Amy Goldmanthanks for all the comments…on Danny Bloom’s question the vault is built to last at least 200 years in the sense that the worst imaginable scenario for global warming might start to thaw the deep permafrost by 2200. If that happened the vault would no longer be a natural deep freeze and would have to rely on artificial refrigeration like any other seed store around the world, losing the “doomsday” backup function.
- Posted by alister doyleAnd a Norwegian government study said it “should be constructed to last essentially ‘forever’…for practical purposes, that means that the internal structure be designed to last 200 years.” (i.e. how many builders do you know who give a 200-year guarantee? Maybe those who built the pyramids in Egypt but not my house).
And the vault is more than 100 metres above sea level — even if all of the ice from Antarctica to Greenland melted over thousands of years it would not flood.
This doomsday vault is not about global warming, you people need to wake up and look at the direction, our supposed to be, government leaders is taking America! Check out the North American Union and the treasonous acts they are committing!!Check out the government prison camps and the U.N. Vehicles and troops thats in America training at Ft.Polk and several other military bases!
- Posted by Don CantrellThey are not only expecting world calamity, It’s part of their One World Agenda!
Wake up America!!!
Don Cantrell
Thanks, Alister, for followup info on the 200 year time frame, etc.
The entire thing is a spectular sight, at a spectacular site, and a very interesting scientific experiment and vault. Human ingenuity is a marvel to behold!
One question: I heard that the entrance way was an art sculpture or whatever by a Norwegian artist who was contracted to make the entrance way that way and put a beautiful thingamajingy on top as a reflector. Great idea. Art in the Arctic! But now I wonder: who was the architect of the entire vault, one man or woman, or was it a Norwegian archtectural firm that did it. Which one, what name, where? They also deserve a round of applause.
- Posted by Danny BloomIn a few hundred million years the Galaxy closest to us will collide with our own, thus rendering all human endeavour on this planet essentially pointless. There’s a cheery thouhgt for you all
- Posted by McShabbyDanny Bloom comments:
Alister,
After a long email trail search, I finally was able to discover the name and the firm of the Norwegian architect who created the blueprints for the Seed Vault. His name is Peter Soderman, and the firm responsible for the design of the vault is Barlindhaug Consult AS in the town of Tromsø, according to sources deep inside in the Norwegian government. I wonder why his name never appeared in any news reports in English anywhere in the world? You would think that the architect behind this project would be recognized by the media. Well, now, for the record, the above info should remain online here for future archives researchers.
- Posted by Danny Bloom