Posted on 09/02/2009 2:37:16 PM PDT by kingattax
UN chief Ban Ki-moon visited Wednesday a vault carved into the Arctic permafrost, filled with samples of the world's most important seeds in case food crops are wiped out by a catastrophe. "The world faces many daunting challenges today, one of the greatest of which is how to feed a growing population in the context of climate change," a bundled-up Ban told reporters after he toured the site in the Svalbard archipelago some 1,200 kilometres (745 miles) from the North Pole.
"The seeds stored here in Svalbard will help us do just that. Sustainable food production may not begin in this cold Arctic environment, but it does begin by conserving crop diversity," he said.
Aimed at safeguarding biodiversity in the face of climate change, wars and other natural and man-made disasters, the seed bank has the capacity to hold up to 4.5 million batches of seeds, or twice the number of crop varieties believed to exist in the world today.
The vault was inaugurated in February 2008, and so far some 25 international and national institutes from 22 countries have deposited some 400,000 batches, according to the Norwegian government.
Overlooking a fjord, the vault forms a long trident-shaped tunnel bored deep into the Svalbard sandstone and limestone.
Metal shelves lining three cold chambers will eventually be stacked with airtight bags filled with seed samples.
(Excerpt) Read more at breitbart.com ...
I’ve read about this. It would make a kickass super villain lair.
If the UN’s running the project, that vault probably contains every variety of cannibis, coca, and opium plant known to man, and not much else.
Moon should’a gone there in January.
Has it been stocked with the seeds from Columbia and Mexico?
Hope they check real carefully that no seed “pods” are being placed. “Invasion of the Body Snatchers” and “The Thing” come to mind.
Do you suppose Clinton has tried to store his seed there too?
oh, man. Paging Kevin Spacey as Dr. Evil!
I wonder how much this fiasco is costing us?
Why would a warmer bury seeds in permafrost? If it warms, it’s going to be a sea of mud.
I was just in Svalbard in July (lovely day, lots of sun). The town of Longyearbyen is nearest to the depository, and I have to say, it has great deals on liquor. I don’t think they charge any tax, so it’s better than Costco or any airport duty free. Probably because it is basically a coal mining town, and you gotta have something to do during that long winter night (way) above the Arctic Circle.
da bears PING
lol - what bears?
arctic....polar bears.....ar ar ar
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.