What is EcoNexus
Founded in February 2000, EcoNexus is a not-for profit, public interest research organisation and science watchdog. We are based in the UK and collaborate with a diversity of networks nationally and internationally.
EcoNexus currently includes scientists who have specialised in biology and genetics, and people who have worked for many years on issues of social and environmental justice. Current focuses are genetic engineering, patents on life, and the way genetic engineering (GE) is being promoted as a technical solution to social and development problems.
EcoNexus offers a rigorous scientific critique of genetic engineering and genetically modified organisms.
It investigates and reports on the impacts of GE on the environment, health, food security, agriculture, human rights and society.
EcoNexus examines the influence of transnational corporations (TNCs) on development issues and scientific, social, economic and political processes.
It also offers analysis of the way GE and patents on life are being used to remove control of agriculture and natural resources for food, medicine and health from the public domain.
- EcoNexus carries out research into technological applications of
genetic engineering, GMOs, their safety and implications, patents on
life, the influence of corporations on science, public institutions
and society. See Research
- We provide information and advice and our briefings and reports are
published on our website and are also available in print. See Publications,
briefings, reports
- We invite collaborations and offer consultancy work, speakers, workshops
and advice and carry out investigative research. See What
we offer
- We strive in our research and work to remain independent from vested interests and commercial or governmental influences. Our funding therefore depends on donations and grants from charitable foundations. See Support us & subscribe
Our aims are to
- Provide clear and understandable information and detailed technical
critiques of various aspects of GE [GM] science and technology
- Research the current state of GE technology and critically analyse
its applications for their impacts.
- Investigate and highlight gaps and assumptions in current knowledge
and risk analysis.
- Research topics that are neglected or where independent views are
needed.
- Monitor and critique life patents and biopiracy, demonstrate the connection
between life patents and commercial GE applications; and work for the
exclusion of living materials from patenting.
- Investigate corporate influence on science, technology and agriculture.
- Research corporate personhood in relation to human rights.
- Provide information on these issues:
- for the public, civil-society organisations (CSOs/NGOs), independent agencies, community-based initiatives, farmers, parliamentarians, media, regulators and governments.
- in the form of reports, briefings, scientific papers and presentations.
What we believe
- Science and technology should serve society and meet social and/or
environmental needs.
- The precautionary principle and respect for scientific uncertainty
are fundamental to the responsible application of new technologies.
- Scientific uncertainty should be acknowledged but not used to deny
the purpose of risk assessment.
- Risk assessments should be free from commercial, political, governmental
or any other vested interests.
- New technologies require meaningful and informed public participation
to decide whether and how they should be developed and implemented
- Information on new technologies must be easily accessible to the
public and available in a clear and understandable form.
- Commercial confidentiality should not be allowed to block public
access to information.
Achievement of the above requires a clear separation of science from business and the state.
Areas of expertise
Molecular Genetics, Genetic Engineering and GMOs
- Plant transformation and methods of genetic engineering
- Mutagenicity of tissue culture
- Plant viruses and GM plants containing viral genetic sequences
- Horizontal gene transfer
- Unintended side effects (and pleiotropic effect) of genetic engineering
- GM trees
- GM rice
- Terminator Technology (V-GURTs)
- Gene Regulation including the CaMV 35S promoter
Health and Environment
- Risk Assessment, especially of GMOs
- Risks of Genetically Modified Organisms
- Environmental and health implications of GM Crops
- Traditional breeding vs genetic modification
- Soya and GM soya and the destruction of tropical forests
International Negotiations and GM Issues
- Cartagena Biosafety Protocol and Convention on Biological Diversity
- EU Patent Directive (Directive on the Protection of Biotechnological
Inventions)
- International bodies involved in decision making on GM
Social Issues
- GM rice and provitamin-A rice (“Golden Rice”)
- Biopiracy
- Patenting of genes and living organisms
Corporate Issues
- Corporate influence behind the global promotion of genetically engineered
crops
- Corporate rights and their impact on society and the environment,
especially corporate personhood and human rights
- Corporate Public Relations (PR)
The Co-Directors are
Dr. Ricarda A Steinbrecher – r.steinbrecher@econexus.info
Ricarda Steinbrecher has a masters degree (first class honours) in biology with a focus on developmental biology and microbiology, from the University of Kiel, Germany (1985) and a PhD in molecular genetics from the University of London. She has specialised in gene regulation since 1982 and has worked as a research scientist in the field of mutational analysis, gene identification and gene therapy in university and hospital settings. Since 1995 she has focused on genetic engineering in food and farming, its risks and potential consequences on health, food security and the environment. She has worked as GM co-ordinator at the Women’s Environmental Network, as Science Director at the Genetics Forum and is a founding member and Co-Director of EcoNexus.
She has been closely involved with the international negotiations and implementation of the Cartagena Biosafety Protocol since 1995. She has been advisor and consultant to many national and international organisations and is co-founder of the Genetic Engineering Alliance and its GM Freeze Campaign in the UK.
Ricarda Steinbrecher is co-author of the book “Hungry Corporations – transnational biotech companies colonise the food chain”, published in 2003, and is author of many scientific papers, briefings, commentaries and reports.
Helena Paul – h.paul@econexus.info
Helena Paul has campaigned on the protection of indigenous peoples' rights and tropical forests, with a special focus on Colombia and Brazil, and later on agricultural biodiversity, with the Gaia Foundation from 1988-2000. She has also worked for many years on oil exploitation in the tropics, patents on life and genetic engineering (GE). She was a co-founder of the No Patents on Life Coalition, the Genetic Engineering Network and a co-founder and chairperson of the UK campaign for a Five Year Freeze on GE in food and agriculture (120 organisations, 3 million people). She advises on the building of similar campaigns and coalitions in other parts of the world and has travelled widely speaking and advising on genetic engineering issues in English and Spanish.
She was European representative on the international committee of Oilwatch International, which brings together organisations representing communities in resistance to oil exploitation in tropical rainforests. She was involved in founding the UK Forest Network. She has begun to investigate the development of the modern corporation, its rights and lack of accountability, in collaboration with the Programme on Corporations Law and Democracy of the US. She plans to work on how to control the power of corporations and redefine them, to reduce their impacts on the environment and human rights.
Helena Paul is co-author of the book “Hungry Corporations – transnational biotech companies colonise the food chain” and editor of the English Edition of “Healthy Crops, A New Agricultural Revolution”, by Francis Chaboussou. She also edited “The Forest Within” by Gerardo Reichel Dolmatoff, a Colombian anthropologist.
Contact us
EcoNexus
P.O.Box 1455
Oxford OX4 9BS
United Kingdom
email: info@econexus.info
phone: +44 (0) 1865 725 194 or +44 (0) 20 7431 4357