Biodiversity

Concern over the potential impact of genetically modified organisms (GMOs) on biodiversity has led to a call for international regulation of the movement of GMOs across national borders. The first formal recognition of the need for international cooperation came in 1992 at the United Nations’ Conference on Environment and

Development in Rio de Janeiro. Agenda 21 called for the creation of an international protocol on biosafety and risk assessment. In addition, it called for a more precautionary approach to the use of GMOs, since long-term impacts are still unknown.

The Convention on Biological Diversity was established as a protocol for legal regulation of transnational movement, requiring an advance risk assessment (AIA) before importation of GMOs. Resistance to the protocol focused on the inclusion of genetically modified food products in this agreement, as it is argued that they will be consumed, not planted, and so do not pose an environmental risk.

The Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety was adopted in January 2000 in Montreal by 133 governments. However, it must be ratified by 50 countries before it can go into effect. By the end of 2000, 81 countries had signed the Protocol, but only two had adopted it. In its final form, the Protocol required AIAs only for bio-engineered seeds for planting, thus not affecting the movement of bulk commodities for food consumption. However, the Protocol is significant in that it allows the strongest interpretation of the "precautionary principle" to date: member nations are allowed to ban import of GM seeds that they regard as environmental threats, even without extensive scientific justification.

The Intergovernmental Committee on the Cartagena Protocol (ICCP) was established to assist adopting nations and oversee the implementation of the Protocol. ICCP members include the Consultative Group for International Agricultural Research (CGIAR), the Secretariat for the Convention on Biological diversity (CBD), the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), the Codex Alimentarius Commission, the International Center for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology (ICGB), the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), L'Office International des Epizooties (OIE), the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO), the World Health Organization (WHO), and the World Trade Organization (WTO).

This information was gathered from the following sites:

Applications of Biotechnology to Crops: Benefits and Risks
Council for Agricultural Science and Technology (CAST) Issue Paper #12
http://www.cast-science.org/biotc_ip.htm

Inter-Agency Network for Safety in Biotechnology
http://www.oecd.org/ehs/biobin/IANB.htm

International Protocol on Biodiversity: What it Means for Agriculture
A 2 page publication of the US Foreign Agricultural Service
http://www.fas.usda.gov/info/factsheets/biosafety.html

Sites with more in-depth information:

Biosafety Protocol, News and Discussion
http://www.biotech-info.net/biosafety.html

BINAS, Biosafety Information Network and Advisory Service
Service of UNIDO (United Nations Industrial Development Organization)
Monitors global developments in regulatory issues in biosafety
http://www.biotec.or.th/binas/

BIOBIN
Allows direct navigation between BINAS and BioTrack Online
http://www.oecd.org/ehs/biobin/

Cartagena Protocol Background
http://www.biodiv.org/biosafety/

Cartagena Protocol on Biodiversity Text
http://www.biodiv.org/biosafety/protocol.asp

Convention on Biodiversity Text
http://www.biodiv.org/convention/articles.asp

Convention on Biodiversity Homepage
http://www.biodiv.org/

Fact Sheet: The Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety
http://usinfo.state.gov/topical/global/biotech/00021601.htm

ICGEB Biosafety Web Page
Links to news, database of studies, library of biosafety documents
http://www.icgeb.trieste.it/~bsafesrv/

International Biosafety Regulations
http://www.icgeb.trieste.it/~bsafesrv/bsfreg.htm

Rio Declaration
Note Principle 15, the Precautionary Approach
http://www.icgeb.trieste.it/~bsafesrv/bsfrio.htm

UNEP International Register on Biosafety
http://irptc.unep.ch/biodiv/Default.html

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