INTERNATIONAL rules to punish exporters of 鈥済enetic pollution鈥� inched
closer last week when delegates from 90 countries met in the Danish city of
脜rhus to draft a protocol governing the movement of genetically
engineered
organisms across borders. But rich and poor nations disagreed over the contents
of the protocol, first proposed in 1992 at the Earth Summit in Rio as part of
the Convention on Biological Diversity.
The poorer countries want the treaty to stop the import of genetically
engineered products that would threaten local industries. They also want
industrialised countries to accept liability and pay compensation if their
multinational companies 鈥減ollute鈥� poorer countries with genetically modified
organisms. The richer nations, however, claim such rules would be obstacles to
free trade.
Calestous Juma, the executive secretary to the Convention on Biological
Diversity, signed by 155 nations in Rio, says many poorer nations, particularly
those in Africa, believe they will be used as test sites for genetic
engineering. For this reason, 鈥渢hey only see the potential for harmful impacts
of genetic engineering, not the benefits鈥�.
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The aim of last week鈥檚 conference was to draft a list of subjects for
inclusion in the protocol. But delegates only agreed unanimously on 10 points,
with a further 38 still up for discussion. Juma explains that the lack of
agreement was 鈥渂ecause of the divisive character and controversial nature
of the
protocol. What we achieved last week was a tentative agreement on the elements
for the protocol.鈥�
Apart from arguing about compensation, liability and 鈥渟ocioeconomic鈥�
barriers
to trade, delegates also disagreed on how to assess the risks of releasing
genetically modified organisms, and the minimum safety measures necessary
before
such releases could be allowed. There was also no consensus on emergency
procedures should a release go wrong, nor on measures to punish illegal
traffickers of genetically engineered products.
Delegates did agree on the need for definitions of words and terms used by
genetic engineers, and on several trivial points, such as a title for the
protocol.
Juma鈥檚 secretariat is compiling a 40-page summary of the proposed
subjects to
be included in the protocol, which will be circulated to individual governments
for comment. A working group will meet next May to discuss the responses and
move closer to a final draft. The deadline for completing the protocol is
November 1998.