Why gmos are good for the environment

GM crops appear to be just as sustainable and productive as non-GM crops, if not more so. Studies show that choosing to farm either non-GM or GM crops doesn't make much difference when it comes to sustainability. And in both aspects, biodiversity, and productivity, GM agriculture has been performing better than non-GM crops for the last 20 years.

Any kind of farming inevitably results in biodiversity loss: the immense diversity of forests and woods is cleared for the monotony and monoculture of the crops we need for our food, feed, fibers, and fuel. And this deforestation and agriculture account for percent of all greenhouse gases emissions. But cultivating GM crops has proven better for biodiversity than the conventional alternative, because one way to maintain biodiversity in a local ecosystem is to reduce pesticide use.

A GM crop can do this by carrying its own defenses, making pesticides less necessary. For instance, "Bt" corn is engineered to be toxic to predators that would otherwise prey on it. They don't need as much outside assistance in the form of pesticides sprayed over an entire field.

Another upside to GM crops is that the toxin they carry is specific to their predators, making them less harmful than a spray with collateral effects. That means that primary predators like the European corn borer nicknamed " the billion-dollar bug " because of its heavy effects on the corn market can be precisely targeted, while leaving other harmless, passerby insects unaffected. Such genetic engineering is remarkably efficient — according to a meta-analysis, GM-based farming has required 37 percent fewer pesticides than conventional agriculture.

The biodiversity of a field can also be monitored through the levels of insects living on it. A recent meta-study based on publications released over 20 years reaches the conclusion that, worldwide, GM corn does not affect the majority of insect families. The only insects that were affected by the Bt-corn were the European corn borer the intended target , the Western corn rootworm, and other corn pests. And, finally, an important aspect of biodiversity is the soil in a given area: one teaspoon of soil contains more living organisms than people in the world and soil microorganisms have a crucial impact on the fertility and the sustainability of agricultural systems.

For example, the majority of plant roots establish symbiotic relationships with fungi or bacteria living in the soil that both siphons them nutrients and provides protection against root diseases. Soil microbial communities are not affected by GM crops, which interact with soil microorganisms worms , insect , fungi, and bacteria in the same way as non-GM crops. The productivity of GM plants is typically 20 percent higher than that of non-GM ones , making it an appealing way to approach the pressures of rising global food demand due to population growth.

GM crops are also an appealing approach in the face of climate change and pollution. As climate change progresses, land becomes more arid , usable topsoil is depleted, and water becomes more scarce. Conventional crops are typically not drought tolerant, and so as human-caused climate change continues, agricultural yields could drop.

This no-till planting helps to maintain soil health and lower fuel and labor use. Taken together, studies have shown positive economic and environmental impacts. When the ringspot virus threatened the Hawaii papaya industry and the livelihoods of Hawaiian papaya farmers, plant scientists developed the ringspot virus-resistant Rainbow papaya.

The Rainbow papaya was commercially planted in , and today it is grown all over Hawaii and exported to Japan. Learn more on Why Do Farmers in the U. Grow GMO Crops? Crop biotechnology has been responsible for the additional global production of million tonnes of soybeans, million tonnes of corn, If farmers had not had access to crop biotechnology in , they would have needed to plant an additional This is equivalent to needing an additional 14 percent of the arable land in the United States, roughly 38 percent of the arable land in Brazil or 16 percent of the cropping area in China.

Farmers have achieved significant environmental benefits over the past 22 years by adopting insect-resistant IR varieties of maize and cotton. This has resulted in a Get to know the outstanding people and companies BIO supports. Careers BIO. Explore job openings with BIO today. BIO Media. I am BIO Podcast. I am BIO Video. Explore the Blog. Michael Stebbins. In my post, I highlight some of the benefits of genetically modified crops to sustainability and the environment: In alone, growing GMO crops helped decrease CO2 emissions equivalent to taking GMOs also reduce the amount of pesticides that need to be sprayed, while simultaneously increasing the amount of crops available to be eaten and sold.

Over the last 20 years, GMOs have reduced pesticide applications by 8. More on This Topic. New hope for rare disease patients with founding of non-profit with for-profit model.

In Africa, cancer kills more people than malaria. More From This Author. Browse all insights. Bringing Modern Agriculture to the People. Doing Agritourism Right. Some GMO Basics. Questions, Questions Explore BIO. Industry Insights. Join Now.