Blog Post
The safe use of modern agricultural biotechnology has become one of the most contentious debates worldwide. There is general agreement on the need to ensure the safety of biotechnology products through effective risk assessment, management, and communication. However, countries differ on how to reflect these measures in public policy.
Some nations require that "sound science" be used as a basis for restricting trade in products that pose a threat to the environment and human health. Others argue for "precautionary measures" that allow policy action to be taken in the absence of full scientific certainty.
In 1992, the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development adopted a principle which states that "where there are threats of serious or irreversible damage, lack of full scientific certainty shall not be used as a reason for postponing cost-effective measures to prevent environmental degradation." A version of this precautionary principle was recently incorporated into the Biosafety Protocol to the Convention on Biological Diversity.
At a recent conference organized by Calestous Juma and sponsored by BCSIA and the Center for International Development, participants discussed the meaning, scope, context and application of the principle in the field of biotechnology.
(http://www.cid.harvard.edu/cidbiotech/bioconfpp/)