Aerial glyphosate fumigations in Colombia

Motion Text

That this House is concerned to learn that the Colombian Government plans to restart aerial glyphosate fumigations; notes the WHO's declaration that glyphosate is probably carcinogenic to humans; recalls that that in 2015, Colombian President Juan Manuel Santos suspended fumigations in favour of more effective strategies which would cause less harm to the environment and public health; is aware that numerous civil society organisations have been trying to block glyphosate use, a call echoed by seven UN Special Rapporteurs; is equally concerned that restarting fumigation would explicitly violate the 2016 landmark Peace Agreement between the Colombian Government and the Fuerzas Armadas Revolucionarias de Colombia-Ejército del Pueblo (FARC-EP); knows that the agreement specifies fumigation as a last resort that should only be used if the Colombian Government unable to strike deals with local people on crop substitution; believes that the crop substitution programme outlined in that Peace Agreement has been successful in destroying 45,000 hectares of illegal crop; regrets that only 7 per cent of families of the substitution programme have been financially compensated; questions whether aerial glyphosate fumigations would make a material difference to the supply of cocaine; and calls on the Government to make representations to the Colombian Government, urging them to reconsider their decision.