Dear Friends of Biovision
This year the grapes in my small private vineyard in California ripened earlier than they ever have before. This year the grapes of my colleagues in Alsace also ripened sooner than ever before. Perhaps you too have noticed things happening in Nature this year that you have never seen before.
Climate change is a global, abstract phenomenon which it is hard to get a handle on. But as individuals each of us is seeing more and more examples of the impact of climate change. And that should give us food for thought. For while it is not such a terrible thing that my grapes should be ripening earlier, there are things happening elsewhere in the world where the consequences are dramatic.
In the humid areas of the tropics it has rained recently as never before. At the same time, arid areas have had even less rain than usual. This change in the already delicate balance will make it even more difficult for farmers in these areas to survive.
What astonishes me most in connection with this issue is that the industrial states – and that means our governments – have still not recognised the full extent of the problem. The majority of the world’s population is suffering from a problem for which we are in fact responsible, and we are doing nothing to rectify it. It is quite unbelievable!
Here’s just one example: agriculture and forestry in industrial countries account for nearly 20% of CO2 emissions. This has to be reduced without delay. At the same time forests can absorb huge amounts of CO2 and thus help lower the amount of CO2 in the atmosphere. This potential to create so-called “sinks” must be exploited. But our agricultural policy does exactly the opposite! CO2 emissions are increasing every year, while the capacity of sinks is decreasing.
Trends in the developing countries are also going in the wrong direction. It is clear that agricultural productivity there has to be raised. But at the moment the way that this is being done is that the developing countries are copying the methods of the industrial nations, in other words using the very mechanisms which actually caused the problem in the first place.
What can we do? How can we as individuals correct these mistakes?
Probably the first thing is to put our own house in order. We must support politicians who understand the issue and act accordingly. These politicians do exist, and we can elect them. But we can also have an influence on processes that are happening elsewhere. We need to support policies for the developing countries that promote sustainable agriculture. That means: organic farming, appropriate structures, targeted research.
Biovision tries to follow this path, not only on the ground in the developing countries, but here in Switzerland as well. Our projects on the ground promote agricultural policies that are not only ecological but also efficient. And in Switzerland we campaign to spread the word about the issue and about the need for ecological development.
As you know, I am an optimist. It is true that the problem is immense and the path leading to a solution is a very long one. But what makes me confident is the change of mood among ordinary people. I see more and more consumers asking for organically produced food. And I see an upsurge in the popularity of ecologically-minded politicians. If we work together to understand what Nature is saying, we can make a big difference.
I wish you all a wonderful September, with sweet grapes and pleasant walks through the vineyards – but don’t forget to keep your eyes open!
Hans Herren
President of Biovision