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   Chapter 16: Environmentally Sound Management of
   Biotechnology

RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT EXPENDITURE FOR BIOTECHNOLOGY
Environmental Chapter 16 Response

1. Indicator

(a) Name: Research and Development (R&D) expenditure in the area of biotechnology.
(b) Brief Definition: The value of R&D expenditure in the area of biotechnology.
(c) Unit of Measurement: $US.

2. Placement in the Framework

(a) Agenda 21: Chapter 16: Environmentally Sound Management of Biotechnology.
(b) Type of Indicator: Response.

3. Significance (Policy Relevance)

(a) Purpose: The indicator is meant to represent one particular aspect of biotechnological capability, namely investment in R&D. It can be seen as a proxy measure of the volume of 'production/absorption' of biotechnology knowledge and serves to assess changes in biotechnology capability.

(b) Relevance to Sustainable/Unsustainable Development: Biotechnology, an emerging knowledge-based field, brings about human-induced changes to deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA), or genetic material, in plants, animals, and microbal systems, leading to useful products and technologies. Biotechnology capability can play a pivotal role for sustainable development through its potential contributions to better health, increased food production, better reforestation, more efficient industrial processes, decontamination of water and the cleanup of hazardous waste. Care must be exercised, however, to ensure that biotechnology developments do not create negative impacts. Biotechnology offers opportunities for global partnerships between countries rich in biological resources and those with the technological expertise to transform biological resources to serve sustainable development.

(c) Linkages to Other Indicators: The indicator is most closely linked to others in the economic, environmental, and institutional areas concerned with research and expenditures, such as investment share in Gross Domestic Product, environmental protection expenditures, new funding for sustainable development, scientists and engineers engaged in R&D, and expenditure on research and experimental development.

(d) Targets: No specific targets for this indicator have been set.

(e) International Conventions and Agreements: There are no international conventions or agreements relating to this indicator.

4. Methodological Description and Underlying Definitions

(a) Underlying Definitions and Concepts: The concepts and definitions for this indicator to enable it to be used in an operational sense are still under development and discussion. The elements of the indicator are private (business) and public (government) expenditure on R&D in biotechnology. What is relevant in monitoring the indicator is cross-country comparison of trends after appropriate normalization.

(b) Measurement Methods: Measurement issues for R&D in biotechnology are still under discussion. Some guidance is available form the overall measurement of R&D expenditure.

(c) The Indicator in the DSR Framework: This indicator represents a Response of the scientific and engineering community to apply biotechnology to sustainable development.

(d) Limitations of the Indicator: Limitations of the indicator stem mainly from the shortcoming of available measures of R&D activity and capability. Data may be difficult to obtain because of corporate competitiveness.

(e) Alternative Definitions: Not available.

5. Assessment of the Availability of Data from International and National Sources

(a) Data Needed to Compile the Indicator: Detailed information on the various types of R&D expenditure are required. It would be desirable to have disaggregated investment data by the type of application, and by institutional category (for example, private sector, public sector).

(b) Data Availability: The issues of data availability and potential data sources are still being explored using the pertinent information systems of the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) (see section 7 below).

(c) Data Sources: See section 5b above.

6. Agencies Involved in the Development of the Indicator

The lead agency is the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO). The contact point is the Chief, Industrial Statistics Branch, Information and Research Division, UNIDO; fax no. (43 1) 232 156.

7. Further Information

UNIDO. Environmentally Sound Management of Biotechnology. The Task Manager's Report on Chapter 16 of Agenda 21, 1995.

 
EXISTENCE OF BIOSAFETY REGULATIONS OR GUIDELINES
Environmental Chapter 16 Response

1. Indicator

(a) Name: Existence of biosafety regulations or guidelines.
(b) Brief Definition: The existence or non-existence of national biosafety regulations or guidelines.
(c) Unit of Measurement: Yes/no.

2. Placement in the Framework

(a) Agenda 21: Chapter 16: Environmentally Sound Management of Biotechnology.
(b) Type of Indicator: Response.

3. Significance (Policy Relevance)

(a) Purpose: The indicator is meant to represent one particular aspect of response to potential risks of the application of biotechnology.

(b) Relevance to Sustainable/Unsustainable Development: Biotechnology, an emerging knowledge-based field, brings about human-induced changes to deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA), or genetic material, in plants, animals, and microbial systems, leading to useful products and technologies. Biotechnology capability can play a pivotal role for sustainable development through its potential contributions to better health, increased food production, better reforestation, more efficient industrial processes, decontamination of water and the cleanup of hazardous waste. Biotechnology offers opportunities for global partnerships between countries rich in biological resources and those with the technological expertise to transform biological resources to serve sustainable development.

Due to the risks inherent in biotechnology applications care must be taken that the new techniques do not damage environmental integrity, pose threats to human health, or adversely affect the socioeconomic welfare of countries. One aspect of biosafety is the existence of pertinent regulations and guidelines.

(c) Linkages to Other Indicators: The indicator is most closely linked to others in the economic, environmental, and institutional areas concerned with research, such as new funding for sustainable development, scientists and engineers engaged in R&D, and expenditure on research and experimental development.

(d) Targets: this indicator is not open to the setting of targets.

(e) International Conventions and Agreements: There are no international conventions or agreements relating to this indicator.

4. Methodological Description and Underlying Definitions

(a) Underlying Definitions and Concepts: The elements of the indicator are taken from descriptive information on the existence or non-existence of biosafety regulations or guidelines.

(b) Measurement Methods: Measurement issues have to do mainly with the question of whether a given regulation or guideline has relevance for biotechnology.

(c) The Indicator in the DSR Framework: In terms of the DSR framework, the indicator generally characterizes the Response of a country to the potential risks of a body of new technology.

(d) Limitations of the Indicator: The presence or absence of biosafety regulations or guidelines is recognized as only a crude measure. The indicator does not distinguish between regulations which are legally binding and enforceable, and guidelines which are practical reference points with no force of law. In addition, the indicator provides no information on their adequacy, or implementation and enforcement. No international standards exist on which to judge adequacy.

(e) Alternative Definitions: Not available.

5. Assessment of the Availability of Data from International and National Sources

(a) Data Needed to Compile the Indicator: Reliable and clear information on the aforementioned regulations is required.

(b) Data Availability: The issues of data availability and potential data sources are still being explored using the pertinent information systems of the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO); the work on a biosafety protocol under the Biodiversity Convention; and the development of biosafety guidelines and capacity building by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) (see section 7 below).

(c) Data Sources: See section 5b above.

6. Agencies Involved in the Development of the Indicator

The lead agency is the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO). The contact point is the Chief, Industrial Statistics Branch, Information and Research Division, UNIDO; fax no. (43 1) 232 156.

7. Further Information

UNIDO. Environmentally Sound Management of Biotechnology. The Task Manager's Report on Chapter 16 of Agenda 21, 1995.

UNIDO. Documentation on BINAS (Biosafety Information Network and Advisory Service), 1995.

UNEP. International Technical Guidelines for Safety in Biotechnology, 1995. 

 

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15 December 2004