Agriculture Reference
In-Depth Information
potential benefits for society. Risk assessment in its traditional form
appears to be inadequate and many stakeholders perceive it as overly
technocratic. Many have called for improved transparency and pub-
lic participation in the GMO policy debate, but their pleas are seldom
specific.
The Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) provides a model for engag-
ing the public and other key stakeholders at the R&D stage of GMO
development where the chances for influencing corporate behavior are
greatest. This will not be easy, given the secrecy of companies and the
high economic and social stakes, but it is necessary to alleviate the social
unease with GMOs.
The GRI model offers the means for developing higher order learn-
ing among a wide variety of stakeholders, including those who have not
been involved before. Such an approach could and should be part of the
GMO regulatory framework so that enough resources and time can be
made available for public discourse, possible course corrections, and reg-
ulations that would satisfy the majority of concerned stakeholders. When
applied as BSTEs the model would offer opportunities for experiment-
ing and learning, for discourse and dialogue, on various levels from prob-
lem definitions on specific issues to framing the issues in different ways.
Although it is highly unlikely that worldviews of the participants will
change during such a discourse, it is possible that a certain level of con-
gruence on problem definitions can be reached. In other words, differ-
ent parties may recognize each other's problem definitions and problem
framings as legitimate and engage in finding solutions that accommodate
each parties' interests and beliefs. Mutual respect and trust building are
important features of such an endeavor. The process would also enhance
the deliberative quality of GMO decision making. Given widespread
unease about technological developments that are advancing too fast to
allow accommodation by institutions, this may be hailed as a positive
development by many stakeholders, particularly those concerned about
sustainability.
