Risk analysis in other international agreements: the Biosafety Protocol Prof. Timothy G. Reeves FTSE

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Risk analysis in other international agreements
the Biosafety ProtocolProf. Timothy G. Reeves
FTSE
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• The Cartagena Protocol recognizes that
  biotechnology has an immense potential for
  improving human welfare, but it could also pose
  potential risks to biodiversity and human health.
  
• This new regime promises to make the
  international trade in GMOs more transparent
  while introducing important safety messages that
  will meet the needs of consumers, industry and
  the environment for many decades to come.
• Toepfer 2003

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The Biosafety Protocol

• Response to GM Organisms-global transfers/trade
• CBD Cartagena (29 Jan 2000)
• Advanced Informed Agreement (AIA)
• Precautionary approach

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Current Status

• 57 countries ratified (not Australia)
• In-force 11 September 2003
• Procedures
• Intentional Release
• Food/Feed Processing

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Support and Capacity Building in Risk Analysis

• UNEP/GEF US 40 million
• 100 Countries
• Biosafety Clearing House (BCH)

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Welcome The Biosafety Clearing-House (BCH) was
established by Article 20 of the Cartagena
Protocol on Biosafety. This website provides
access to the Pilot Phase of the Biosafety
Clearing-House. Learn more...
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Provisions from 11/9/03

• Countries shipping living modified organisms
  (LMOs) for intentional introduction into the
  environment will have to give prior notification
  of the first shipment to an importing country
  that is a party to the Protocol under what is
  referred to as the Advance Informed Agreement
  procedure. Sufficient information will have to
  be provided to enable importing countries to make
  informed decisions.
• Member countries of the Protocol will also be
  required to use the Biosafety Clearing-House
  (BCH) to fulfill a number of specific
  obligations. The BCH is a largely Internet-based
  facility established under the Protocol to ease
  communications and exchange of information
  between the Parties.
• All shipments containing LMOs for intentional
  introduction into the environment will be clearly
  identified as such in the accompanying
  documentation which must specify the identity and
  characteristics of the specific LMOs contained in
  each shipment.

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Special Concerns and Considerations for Australia

• Centres of Genetic Diversity
• GM Crops in Australia
• Biotechnology R, D E

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Centres of Genetic Diversity

• Gene-flow wild relatives, landraces, farmer
  varieties
• Genetic diversity
• Sensitivity

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GM Crops in Australia

• GM Cotton GM Canola many trials
• Precautionary principle
• Trade barrier?

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This implies that a country may refuse the
import of a particular GMO when there is a lack
of scientific certainty about its potential
harmfulness. The concern is that this provision
of the protocol could be used to impose
unjustifiable restrictions on trade and could
weaken the scientific basis of risk assessment
that underpins the WTOs Sanitary and
Phytosanitary (SPS) Agreement. Foster et al
(2003)
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Research (?) Evaluation (?) Release (? or ?)

• Current concerns inc. input traits
• Traits that save lives
• Drought
• Fortified Crops
• Functional Foods

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The Way Ahead

• Biosafety Protocol Infancy
• GM Crops/Foods
• Live with
• Environmental concerns
• Trade barrier?
• Australia to ratify?
• Risk assessment knowledge transfer

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THANK YOU!