African countries face the triple planetary crisis of climate change, biodiversity loss, and pollution. Droughts exacerbated by climate change, deforestation with a view to clear lands for agriculture and other economic activities, and pollution increased through drives to promote industrialization, are common issues for many African countries. In this context, and at the interface between science, policy, and law, lies the issue of genetic technologies, Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs), Genetically Modified (GM) foods, and related advancements.
The Association of Environmental Law Lecturers in African Universities (ASSELLAU) seeks to interrogate the treatment of GMOS within the continent from a legal and policy standpoint in a three-day conference under the theme of “Legal and Policy Measures on Genetically Modified Organisms (GMO) in Africa”. Importantly, the Conference will host regional consultations with national focal points and conference participants on clearly defined priority areas on legal responses to combat the climate change crisis for the implementation of the Fifth Montevideo Programme for the Development and Periodic Review of Environmental Law.
The conference is to be convened between 22nd-24th August, 2023 in partnership with the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and the Alliance for Science. It will take place on the sidelines of the Africa Biennial Biosciences Conference scheduled to be held in Nairobi on 22-23 August 2023.