In the article “If Genetically Modified Trees Could Help Stop Climate Change Would You Support Them?”, from www.treehugger.com, Matthew McDermott outlines new research on genetically modifying trees and plants to help fight climate change. Modification could potentially increase the carbon allocation to roots and improve tolerance to environmental stresses. As a result, carbon storage could increase by 2-3 gigatons annually, and “GM tweaking of other aspects of carbon storage could produce an additional 6-8 gigatons of storage”. This is a significant amount, however “it’s less than one-third of total carbon emissions caused by human activity”.
REFLECTION
I have mixed feelings about these genetic modifications. The initial sound of this type of technological tool seems like it would make a difference. It seems like a step in the right direction, but there are consequences to these actions. This type or work would mean new species of plants and trees, and introducing them to the natural environment would have major effects. Ecosystems are sensitive to invading species, plant and animal, so I would be concerned with the long term effects on the ecosystem.
In addition, why should it be the plants and trees responsibility to store carbon emissions? Carbon emissions have become an issue and a threat to the planet’s environment, because of human behavior. We should be putting more effort and research towards changing human behavior than changing the genetic nature of other species.
No comments:
Post a Comment