Mark Lynas’s ‘The God Species’ is a book that raises questions about which kind of agriculture is actually the best one for nature; and, to the indignation of the ‘greens’, the author fervently backs nuclear power and geo-engineering.

Against the backdrop of the pertinent question, that is, whether it is better for people and for nature to practice nature-friendly farming over extensive areas, or to concentrate agriculture in smaller areas and reserve the rest for nature to do its thing unfettered by plough and seed, the author’s standpoint is that the second option - including the use of genetic technologies where indicated - is the better of the two.

The book backs the idea that genetic modification (GM) is a notable way of protecting the environment, claiming that GM technologies are apparently the newest forms of farming intensification, which already includes fertilisers, pesticides, high-yield hybrids, irrigation, mechanisation, and a whole lot more.

According to the arguments put forth by the author, due to the fact that yields are relatively low in "nature-friendly" farming systems, so much so that technical innovations are often disdained, more farmland overall is required – thereby implying that there is more impact on nature on the whole.

However, Lynas’s viewpoint, no matter how convincing, is a tough sell for most of the campaigners of the green movement in the developed and developing worlds --- all the more so as they unanimous in their arguments in favour of more "natural" systems!