15 December 2009

The controversial biotech company, Monsanto has won the Angry Mermaid Award 2009.

At a press confernce this morning at the UN climate talks, the award-winning writer and journalist Naomi Klein anounced the biotech giant had won with 37% of the total vote.
 
Oil giant Shell took second place (18%) in the Award for lobbying to sabotage effective action on climate change, followed by the American Petroleum Institute (14%).

 Ten thousand people voted in the Angry Mermaid Award, named after the iconic Copenhagen mermaid who is angry about corporate lobbying on climate change.

Eight candidates were put forward for the public to vote on at and individuals at the Klimaforum were also invited to vote.

In what many people may see as a surprise, biotech company Monsanto came out on top, with a clear majority of votes.

The Agriculture giant had been nominated for promoting its genetically modified (GM) crops as a solution to climate change and pushing for its crops to be used as biofuels. The expansion of GM soy in Latin America is contributing to major deforestation and greenhouse gas emissions.

The Round Table on Responsible Soy (RTRS) of which Monsanto is a member, is helping to promote the company’s cause by allowing GM soy to be labelled as “responsible”. Monsanto also wants GM soy to be funded under the Clean Development Mechanism.

 Speaking for the award organisers, Paul de Clerck from Friends of the Earth International said:

  “Monsanto has attracted thousands of votes from individuals who are outraged that such an environmentally-damaging form of agriculture should be put forward to tackle climate change.  Big business must not be allowed to sabotage action against climate change by promoting their vested interests.

He continued: "All the candidates for the Angry Mermaid Award have lobbied to protect their own profits and prevent effective action to tackle climate change. Governments need to stop listening to them and choose real solutions to the climate crisis.”

The Angry Mermaid had been organised by Attac Denmark, Corporate Europe Observatory, Focus on the Global South, Friends of the Earth International, Oil Change International and SpinWatch.