Comments Page 1 of 2 Center for International Development at Harvard University (CID) A global conversation on biotechnology Dr. Gerald Graham, geraldgraham@attcanada.net International Environmental Consultant Ottawa, Ontario, Canada Europe with OM ood. All ofthis as ren in asthe past few yeas ifany of thse ts were even he pa eon a mee dead go ‘Wath est response fo oli eer this ss of confer Stu Ths compromise live i awed in that the publi exc rom the ‘worried about the cost of Terminator techelogy tthe chrysamhemam growers ‘Kenys concerned that x GM version ofpretvum,a natural insecticide (Coll, 1996), might some dy leave them high nd ry fom the medicine men of Ai tnvious thei secrets wll esol’ by unserapalous bioprospacos tthe vezan a Reading England wondering whether th tomatoes she buys Tor he family conan the genes of flounder shih they sea 8 tetor of high echnology jos swell an engine of row in the new economy’ They exo the vitues a re and open ade Trae apreemen appeat to have taken precedence over environmental ones in fernional for. The publi, ment, fe Becoming increasingly sepia of biotechnology st nthe hups/évww.cid harvard edu/eidbiotech/comments32,htm 230999Comments 32 Page 2 of 2 ‘egulatos, pacity in Buope, is crumbling. Even the conservative Economist views meaningfl constaton 3s away of ‘estoring the balance: “Public confidence would? be boosed by giving consumers ‘learer sense of paricipaton inthe replat proces, otha! they donot el ha ‘Sch product are Being fisted on them by authors who are cosir withthe instr than with shoppers” (me 1th, 1989, . 18) Mandatory abling is other obvious option, and one which is gradually ging international suppor, Ano, more lob appch o this muddle would bef create anew Bruna ‘Syl commision to engage ina glbal dialogue on the enviroment ethical and ‘Svial ns and themes relate to botecheloay whch should concern us al, ‘These might sefily include risk assessment andthe longterm impacts of| botectnology. As ates ave pointed out before me, consumer are current the nds’ guinea pigs for longterm lets ‘Numerous commentators have pointed out that unless urgent measures are taken to nt public confidence the beach ist sks gong the way ofthe cleat Indust. Half a century of exaggerate and unfilled promises fom the nuclear ‘lobby, as well as lx environmental enforcement, have le that sector ina state of paras and decline. The public was old miclear power was sae nd i was lt flown, Sirs peopl kno ha tere so prtnant oltn Wo spose ot his level alr waste; underground disposal jst sloushs the problem off fire seneratons. At the end ofthe day, itis people who decide whether an industry rises rfl. The scaled word ade agenda should ot be allowed to raw out imate biotech ‘oncems. Biotechnology, global sue ever there Was ane, no doub has | bilan future ahead of, but for this happen, people fom around te world need 1 be consulted before the hard choices are ade -nup//ww:cid harvard edu/cidbiotech/comments32.htm 23/09/99