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.
|