The Earth Brokers

Article posted with permission from the author, Karen Schumacher

The Earth Brokers: Power, Politics and World Development is a book co-authored by Pratap Chatterjee and Matthias Finger, and written in 1994, just after the Rio Summit was held in 1992.  It was the “first critical analysis of the Earth Summit and its mission document Agenda 21“.

Unfortunately, most countries did not heed the warnings from these two authors who saw through the deceit of Agenda 21.  Below is an excerpt of pages 42-43, where they critically analyzed the biotechnology aspect of Agenda 21 and the rights to genetic resources.

“Indeed, the biodiversity convention is just one of many typical examples where the concern for exponential destruction of the world’s biodiversity has been perverted into a preoccupation with new scientific and (bio- )techno-logical developments to boost economic growth. Or as Vandana Shiva puts it: ‘It is ironical that a convention for the protection of biodiversity has been distorted into a convention to exploit it’. Though this is not surprising, given the conceptual framework of the Brundtland Commission discussed earlier, it is nevertheless worth while identifying the three key arguments that cement this perversion: first, the convention gives ‘nation -states the sovereign right to exploit their own resources pursuant to their environmental policies’, thus transforming biological diversity into a natural resource to be exploited and manipulated.  Then, the convention implicitly equates the diversity of life -animals and plants – to the diversity of genetic codes, for which read genetic resources. By doing so, diversity becomes something modern science can manipulate. Finally, the convention promotes biotechnology as being ‘essential for the conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity

Not surprisingly, biotechnology, according to Agenda 21, is not only good for the conservation of biodiversity, but it is also good for improving agricultural production as it will ‘increase the yield of major crops, livestock, and aquaculture species’.  The biotechnology industry is therefore beneficial to humanity in at least two ways, i.e. to conserve biodiversity on the one hand and to improve production on the other. Interestingly, as Third World Resurgence has pointed out, the thrust of the biodiversity convention – as well as that of chapter 16 of Agenda 21 dealing with biodiversity and biotechnology – is exactly the same as a document prepared by the biotechnology industry for UNCED. In it, the International Biodiversity Forum says that genetically manipulated organisms are ‘natural’ while at the same time claiming that they are improvements upon nature due to ‘increased efficiency’.  The document, like the convention, also says that (1) ‘modern biotechnology will help maintain biodiversity and ensure genetic diversity’, and that (2) ‘biotechnology will … [provide) extensive environmental benefits for sustainable growth’.

To recap, the main stake raised by the biodiversity convention is the issue of ownership and control over biological diversity.

In the case of the North, and the USA in particular, the major concern was protecting the pharmaceutical and emerging biotechnology industries, which get their raw material from forests. In the case of the South, the concern was mostly ensuring that governments and industries could continue to exploit their own natural resources. Obviously, the convention is a compromise with considerable advantages for the North.  Who spoke and speaks for the local communities who often sustain and depend on biodiversity for foods, medicine, and their way of life? Once the biodiversity convention had included the question of biotechnology – as demanded by the South - and which subsequently become a propaganda instrument for the biotechnology industry, the main debate between the North and the South was over patent rights, redistribution of profits from biotechnological production, access rights and control over genetic banks, as well as debates about the safety of biotechnology. Yet, amid these financial and political controversies the main issue was forgotten, namely the identification of the main causes of the destruction of biodiversity and the drawing up of action plans to address these causes.”

Summarized, this book passage was about taking control over the genetic structure of every life organism, including humans that began with Agenda 21.  Throughout numerous chapters, the use of genetic resources was referenced, and in the case of the biodiversity convention, it clearly addressed the exploitation of genetic resources.

The United Nations (UN) is relentless in its pursuit of genetic resources to reach the Agenda 2030 sustainable development goals (SDG), including the Global Biodiversity Framework (Target 13), and in the Biodiversity Agreement (Goal C).

The World Economic Forum (WEF) has skin in this game as well with its reservoir of corporate cronies in the biotechnology and medical fields.  Its Earth BioGenome Project even describes itself as “Sequencing Life for the Future of Life”.  Conveniently left out are details that humans are also a target of this genetic resource heist.

The larger question is if a human genetic code is edited or manipulated to change it, to whom does it then belong?  The Earth Brokers did address the issue of patent and access rights, and questioned who would have control over genetic material and banks.

The U.S Supreme Court actually gave a ruling on this in 2013.  “Naturally occurring human genes cannot be patented”, but human DNA reconstructed in a laboratory can be patented.  So, any manipulation of human genes, whether it be for removing a disease or inserting genetically manipulated material into a vaccine, can be patented.

Ah yes, modified human genes are being patented and stored.  Indeed, from 1990 to 2003, the Human Genome Project generated the “first sequence of the human genome”.  This site, OMIM, can provide human genetic information on diseases.  GenBank provides publicly available DNA sequences, some of which have a patent or copyright.  If the genetic code is desired on a health issue, this site will provide it.

It should be apparent that these loons have no qualms about believing they can alter and create any life form, without any regard for morality.  This genetic violation has already been laid upon the world with genetically modified food and genetically engineered vaccines, which are soon to be introduced into genetically modified food, shaping mankind’s future.

However, much of this is being passed off as a benefit to mankind with the ability to end devastating diseases through the use of manipulated gene therapy.  While recognition of this technology and its use for the benefit of mankind is promoted, many questions still go unanswered.

Past Agenda 21 fears that included overtly taking over cities with stack & pack housing, control over land use, and placing women and children into a higher order, missed the primary point of controlling all life.  It was really about genetically controlling life covertly in all of its forms, and “tweak the DNA of almost any living being, from bacteria to people”. even up to the intention of creating a new type of life form.

How far can humanity let this go before it reaches a point of critical juncture where it cannot be reversed?  The Earth Brokers saw the threat, but no one listened.  Who is willing to listen now?

Exodus 20:4-5: 4 Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth.  5 Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them: for I the Lord thy God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me.