Environmental News Biosafety debate inadequately addresses developing country priorities The debate surrounding genetically modified organisms and the recently concluded Biosafety Protocol reflects the concerns of industrialized countries, particularly those of the European Union, more than the interests of developing countries, according to the former executive secretary of the United Nations Convention on Biological Diversity, of which the protocol is a part. Speaking at a congressional briefing in January, Calestous Juma said, "international negotiations continue to focus on risks and pay little attention to the potential benefits" of biotechnology, which contradicts the original intent of the convention. Juma is now director of the Science, Technology, and Development Program at Harvard University's Center for International Development. Primary among most developing countries' objectives is food security enhancement. But in response to the wave of public outcry—especially in Europe, where genetically modified crops are not being grown commercially—the biosafety agreement adopted in
Future biotechnology applictions could ease problems with decreasing crop yields, low soil fertility, and nutrient deficiencies.
Montreal, Quebec, Canada, in late January gives countries more freedom to refuse imports of genetically modified seeds, plant materials, or commodities when the science is uncertain. As a result, developing countries that are heavily dependent on exports to the biotechnology-averse European market may be more tempted to exercise this right to boycott products, effectively dampening research efforts to further develop the technology in that could help alleviate
hunger and malnutrition, said ivODert rctariuerg, an associate at Harvard University s Weatherheaci (_.enter for International Atrairs. Because environmental ministers, who are not typically concerned with food security issues, negotiated the protocol, the outcome did not recognize biotechnology's potential to increase crop yields, enhance the nutritional value of food, or reduce the environmental impacts of agricultural production, Juma said. Although Paarlberg and Juma acknowledged that biotechnology cannot solve all of the agricultural production problems in developing countries, they maintained that it could be instrumental in addressing key issues. Others, such as Peter Rosset, executive director of the Institute for Food and Development Policy, disagreed, saying that hunger and malnutrition are a result of economic structure and inequality within and among countries, not the lack of a new intensive agricultural production technique. KRIS CHRISTEN
EU formalizes use of controversial precautionary principle Releasing in February a longawaited communication on the precautionary principle, the European Commission (EC) sought to reassure its trading partners that future applications of the controversial measure will not result in protectionism. The guidelines lay out in general terms how the EC intends to apply the principle when faced with decisions on risk containment but they leave sufficient room for various interpretations For instance, the guidelines specify that a rigorous scientific evaluation involving all the elements of risk analysis should precede any application of the precautionary principle. At the same time, however, in cases of uncertainty, the EC communication recognizes that "judging what is an 'acceptable' risk for society is an eminently political responsibility".
Anders Jessen, head of the environmental unit of the EC Delegation to the United States, pointed out, as does the communication itself, that the document is a work in progress and not the final version. "What we're trying to do is start a debate and reach consensus on these guidelines," Anders said. "The idea is that if the principles outiined here are applied, this should eliminate the worst suspicions that this principle is being cipplied in a. discriminatory arbitrary and trade protectionist way." If in fact a member state decides to invoke the precautionary principle, the guidelines state that measures should be nondiscriminatory and consistent with similar measures already taken. Likewise, member states are asked to base any decisions on cost-benefit analyses of the potential benefits and
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costs of precautionary action or lack thereof. The burden of proof for producing the scientific evidence necessary for a comprehensive risk assessment was left to be decided on a case-by-case basis. The European chemical industry cautiously approved the guidelines. "These are general words, so it will depend on how [the communication] is interpreted," said Mara Caboara, legal counselor for the European Chemical Industry Council. "If every member state that implements the principle does so according to the guidelines, then probably this is satisfactory." Greg Conko, director of food safety policy for the Competitive Enterprise Institute, a conservative think tank in Washington, DC, was more critical. "Theoretically, application of the precau-
News Briefs tionary principle need not be bad, but from the way it's been used in practice on a national level, it's not clear that most regulatory bodies are willing to accurately measure and consider risks." He added that the communication should have included a "tacit recognition that political institutions will behave politically," as well as some kind of an incentive to keep regulatory agencies from moving too slowly in approving new technologies such as
biotechnology European environmental organizations expressed outright dismay over the guidelines, saying they will render the precautionary principle less effective because of all the conditions and procedures that should be followed before the principle is used. "We think this is a bureaucratic exercise completely in contradiction to the precautionary principle," said Christian Hey, policy director of die European Environmental Bureau, an umbrella network of European environmental organizations. He noted the ongoing risk assessments of various chemicals currently being conducted by the European Union (EU) as an example of how the process is likely to be dragged out. "At die extreme, we have the cadmium case where an 800-page report [containing] 25 pages of references concludes that more research [needs to be] done on a h e a w metal whose properties are well known " For now, the guidelines are not binding and merely give member states an indication of how the EC will treat national measures based on the precautionary principle. However, member states are bound to follow EU law, and the European Court of Justice will monitor member states' compliance, said Per Haugaard, a spokesperson for Enterprise and the Information Society Commissioner Erkki Liikanen. Liikanen coauthored the communication together with Environment Commissioner Margot Wallstrom and Health and Consumer Protection Commissioner David Byrne KRIS CHRISTEN
The state of Russia's environment is grim, concludes a study by the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD). The first comprehensive survey of environmental conditions in Russia finds that air pollution levels in large cities exceed international standards; deteriorating drinking water infrastructures are leading to increased water-borne disease outbreaks; and a reduced capacity to handle hazardous waste stocks presents an imminent health risk in some areas Russia has not had an environmental minister in its government since 1996 For a coDV of Envimnmpntnl Performnncp PPvipu> of the Russian Epdpration call O F f D at f?n?l $Kr)r) 3ftfifi
Although sulfur dioxide emissions have fallen sharply over the past 20 years, greenhouse gas emissions continue to rise in countries belonging to the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), according to the latest OECD Environmental Data 1999 Compendium. The compendium, which provides an overview of the state of the environment and environment-economy relationships in OECD countries and Russia, also shows that the volume of municipal solid waste has increased by 40% since 1980 and that 41% of the population in OECD countries is not connected to a sewage treatment plant For a copy call the OECD at (202) 822-3866 Many developing countries could "leapfrog" from polluting, unsustainable energy sources to renewable technologies, according to a report from the U.N. Food and Agriculture Organization and the World Energy Council, a nonprofit organization whose members represent companies and governments. Up to 67% of the world's rural people rely on inefficient forms of biomass combustion, mainly for cooking according to the report. Renewable projects often fail be-
for local people to repair," the groups write. Governments should actively promote renewable technologies like biomass gasifiers and digesters. For a copy of The Challenge of Rural Energy Poverty in Developing Countries, go to www. worldenergy.org/wec-geis/. Common indoor substances—dust mites, mold, secondhand smoke, and fragrances in personal hygiene products—can trigger or worsen asthma in susceptible people, a panel of doctors and scientists directed by the Institute of Medicine (IOM) concluded after reviewing the latest scientific studies. Although asthma and asthma-related deaths have jumped 75% over the past 20 years researchers are still unsure about what causes the disease Funded by EPA Clearing the Air: Asthma and Indoor Air Exposures identifies priorities for public education intervention and further research For a cODV call IOIVT at f?fl91 334-3313
This year's ACS Environmental Chemistry Graduate Student Award winners are Joel Bandstra (Oregon Graduate Institute), Raja Chakraborti (State University of New York-Buffalo), Jeffrey Chen (Yale University), Brian Desharnais (Northwestern University), Paul Hartmann (University of Rhode Island), Sarunya Hengpraprom (Clemson University), Meh met Kitis (Clemson University), Jens-Uwe Kuhn (Northern Arizona University) Tie Li (University of Arizona) Katrice Lippa (Johns Hopkins University) Shaun Mendonsa (University of Wyoming) C Andrew Ramsburg (Georgia Institute of Technology) Alexa Rihana (IJniversifv of Mich igan) Darrvl Roberts (University of Delaware! Julia Rneers (Colorado State Ilnivprsirvl Rereie SpanlHinp (TTnivprsitv nf Talifor n i a - D a H«l Ya Htha S n h r a m a n i a n fCpn ia Inst't lte of Tprhnnlnsxvl
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