Health

BeeCaution seminar on the role of the precautionary principle in chemicals regulation

chiara.mazzetti@ecologic.eu — Wed, 26 Jan 2022 18:16:56 +0000

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BeeCaution seminar on the role of the precautionary principle in chemicals regulation

On January 18th 2022, the precautionary principle in chemicals regulation was discussed in an online seminar with academics and stakeholders.

The seminar was organised by University of Bergen's BeeCaution project, which is a spin-off project of the H2020 RECIPES project. BeeCaution aims to build a Norwegian network of actionable knowledge for precaution by engaging a Nordic audience in RECIPES' discussions on precaution and innovation. The seminar gathered 47 participants with different backgrounds, including students, toxicologists, NGOs, legal scholars, and representatives from public scientific committees.

In the first half of the seminar, a presentation on the precautionary principle in the European chemicals regulation (REACH)’ was given by Christina Rudén, professor of toxicology and regulatory ecotoxicology at the University of Stockholm. Rudén criticised the lack of precaution in chemical regulations in the EU. She talked about what she termed the “Seven Sins” of the EU's chemical regulation, including: that most chemicals are insufficiently tested, that mixed exposures of chemicals are ignored, that there is a structural conflict of interest and lack of transparency in regulatory risk assessment of chemicals, and that the PP is very rarely used explicitly. Rudén also mentioned some possible improvements in the newly proposed Chemicals Strategy for Sustainability as a step in the right direction. This strategy indicates better management of endocrine disruptors and mixture risk and improved transparency. However it remains to be implemented, cross-cutting legislation is still missing, and the structural problems of conflict of interest remain unaddressed.

Prof. Ketil Hylland, toxicologist at the University of Oslo, was invited to comment on Rudén’s presentation. Hylland agreed on the need of a precautionary approach. He mentioned uncertainty around prenatal exposure to low doses of chemicals as an example. He further suggested that instead of focusing on calculating natures tolerance levels of chemicals in risk assessments, the main focus should start from the question whether the chemical is really needed (essential use). Regarding the PP, he found it strange that when looking up the PP in the EU, most of the focus is on the limitations of the principle.

After a short break, the seminar was open to comments from the audience. Topics discussed include:

The problem of ‘paralysis by analysis’
A better testing regime is needed, that is more science-based instead of volume based
The problems of regulatory silos
What counts as ‘essential use’ of chemicals should be discussed more
More interdisciplinary collaboration is needed, especially legal scholars and social scientists need to engage more in debates and research related to regulation of chemicals
The problematics of setting specific thresholds, and that the PP is applied retrospectively
There is a window of opportunity to engage with the implementation of the new chemical strategy
Other relevant cases mentioned: Norway’s GMO legislation and the EUs prolonged process of updating the so called "Bee Guidance" for pesticide assessments

A video of Rudén’s presentation will be made available at the webpage of UiB's BeeCaution project soon.

Organiser

University of Bergen

Contact

Prof. Jeroen van der Sluijs
Email: Jeroen.Sluijs@uib.no

Further Links

BeeCaution project

Themes

Endocrine disruptors, Environment, Governance, Health, Innovation, Precaution, Regulation, Science

Interesting for

Policy Makers, Regulatory Authorities & Agencies, Research & Academia, Industry & Business, Funding Sources & Finance, NGOs & Associations

RECIPES Event

Event Date

18 January 2022

Location

Bergen, Norway

Language

English

Precaution for Responsible Innovation: New Options to Move Forward

chiara.mazzetti@ecologic.eu — Thu, 20 Jan 2022 10:32:52 +0000

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Precaution for Responsible Innovation: New Options to Move Forward

RECIPES Dissemination Conference

On May 11, the RECIPES project has held its dissemination conference “Precaution for Responsible Innovation: New Options to Move Forward”.

At the conference, the RECIPES project presented and discussed some of the ideas on how to improve the use of the precautionary principle that were developed in consultation with several stakeholders at various points during the project period (the RECIPES guidance). The conference brought together around 90 participants from a range of different actor groups including several of those who had participated in one or more of the RECIPES workshops. The conference was carried out in hybrid format, so the participants joined it onsite or online.

Several of the speakers and panellists stressed that the topicality of the precautionary principle has increased in the past, e.g., due to the increasing transgression of planetary boundaries. They considered the principle to be even more important in the future. They appreciated that the RECIPES guidance reconfirms the importance of the precautionary principle and reinstates its innovative potential, especially by stressing its dual role as a legal principle and safeguard and as a policy principle and compass. They identified the RECIPES guidance as a timely document.

It was emphasised that the use of the precautionary principle requires political discussions at all levels (local, regional, national, EU, global). These would need to open up complex issues to the wider public, involve the knowledge and perspectives of a wide diversity of actors, and deal with (uncertain) risks as well as (uncertain) benefits, and address questions such as “(uncertain) risks and potentially serious harm for whom?” and “(uncertain) benefits for whom?” and “what are sustainable and public-interest-oriented pathways out of interlinked multiple crises such as climate change and loss of biodiversity?”.

It was highlighted that recent reports by IPBES, IPCC and UNEP, CBD and WHO on biodiversity, climate change and environment, agree that solutions for these wicked challenges of a systemic nature, characterized by uncertainty, complexity, and ambiguities, can only be achieved by systemic, multidimensional, cross-sectoral, interdisciplinary, transdisciplinary and participative approaches. The benefit of the precautionary principle would be that it enables solutions for (uncertain) risks in a systemic way that not simply shifts responsibility to the individual level.

For more information, you can find the programme of the conference HERE and the presentations held at the conference below. Moreover, you can find statements by some panellists below (the panellists were not asked to provide a written statement but some have made it available to the RECIPES team).

Welcome note by the coordinator: Guidance for the future use of the precautionary principle, Ellen Vos & Kristel de Smedt (University of Maastricht)
The RECIPES engagement approach: Reaching out to society and policy for developing the guidance - Aske Palsberg & Niels-Kristian Tjelle Holm (The Danish Board of Technology Foundation)
Discussion input no. 1 from the RECIPES guidance: The precautionary principle works best in a double role: safeguard and compass - Tijs Sikma (Rathenau Institute)
Discussion input no. 2 from the RECIPES guidance: The precautionary principle is a knowledge and participation issue - Jeroen van der Sluijs (University of Bergen) and Pia-Johanna Schweizer (Institute for Advanced Sustainability Studies)
Intervention by Christine von Weizsäcker
Intervention by Carolina Vigo

In the videos below Christine von Weizsächer and Nina Holland, RECIPES Advisory Board Members, offer their perspectives on the RECIPES project, during the final conference held in May 2022:

Organiser

Dialogik, DBT, IASS, UM, Ecologic Institute with support from KNAW, UiB, K&I and ARC

Contact

Dr. Marion Dreyer, Dialogik

Email: dreyer@dialogik-expert.de

Themes

Artificial Intelligence in healthcare, CRISPR-based gene drives, Endocrine disruptors, Environment, Financial risks and urban waste planning, Genetically Modified Organisms (GMO’s), Glyphosate, Health, Innovation, Microplastics, Nanotechnologies, Neonicotinoid insecticides, Precaution, Regulation, Safety, Science

Interesting for

Policy Makers, Regulatory Authorities & Agencies, Research & Academia, Industry & Business, Funding Sources & Finance, NGOs & Associations, Citizens & Civil Society Organisations

RECIPES Event

Event Date

11 May 2022

Location

Hybrid Format: Online & Brussels

Language

English

Pollinator conservation requires a stronger and broader application of the precautionary principle

chiara.mazzetti@ecologic.eu — Wed, 05 Jan 2022 09:10:37 +0000

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Pollinator conservation requires a stronger and broader application of the precautionary principle

Pollinator decline, and more broadly global insect decline, is increasingly recognised as an emerging global environmental risk urgently requiring an internationally coordinated and integrated policy response.

The paper “Pollinator conservation requires a stronger and broader application of the precautionary principle”, published on the Insect Science journal by Jeroen van der Sluijs and Lura Drivdal, from the University of Bergen, reviews the role of the Precautionary Principle (PP) in pollinator conservation.

The current research front is fragmented: the PP is briefly mentioned as relevant in literature on biodiversity conservation because of the scientific uncertainties regarding insect decline and their diverse drivers. A separate strand of literature contains studies on specific cases where the PP has played a role in the regulation of specific threats to pollinators: systemic insecticides and global trade in bees. Although limited to two significant threats to pollinator abundance and diversity, these studies provide important lessons on the challenges of implementing precautionary pollinator conservation policies and underline socio-political aspects of the ‘human-dimensions’ of pollinator conservation.

Within the RECIPES project, Jeroen P. van der Sluijs and Laura Drivdal conducted the case study on "Neonicotinoid insecticides", which outlines scientific uncertainties and ambiguities regarding the effects of neonics on pollinators.

A full overview of the RECIPES’s case studies can be found HERE.

Authors

Laura Drivdal, University of Bergen (Email: Laura.Drivdal@uib.no)

Jeroen P. van der Sluijs, University of Bergen (Email: jeroen.sluijs@uib.no)

Published in

Insect Science journal

Themes

Environment, Health, Neonicotinoid insecticides, Precaution, Regulation, Safety, Science

Interesting for

Policy Makers, Regulatory Authorities & Agencies, Research & Academia

Scientific Publication

Publishing Date

21 April 2021

Language

English

Pollinator conservation requires a stronger and broader application of the precautionary principle

chiara.mazzetti@ecologic.eu — Thu, 04 Nov 2021 18:46:49 +0000

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Pollinator conservation requires a stronger and broader application of the precautionary principle

A full overview of the RECIPES’s case studies can be found HERE.

Contact

Jeroen P. van der Sluijs, University of Bergen

Email: jeroen.sluijs@uib.no

Themes

Environment, Health, Neonicotinoid insecticides, Precaution, Regulation, Safety, Science

Interesting for

Policy Makers, Regulatory Authorities & Agencies, Research & Academia

Date

21 April 2021

European Policy Workshop: “Precaution for responsible innovation”

chiara.mazzetti@ecologic.eu — Thu, 04 Nov 2021 18:26:38 +0000

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European Policy Workshop: “Precaution for responsible innovation”

On February 22 and 23, the RECIPES project will organize the European Policy Workshop: “Precaution for responsible innovation”.

The workshop aims to review the pre-final version of the RECIPES guidance on how to ensure the PP’s ability to drive responsible innovation. It will take place online and will address, as main target groups, EU policy makers, European agencies, EU policy support organizations and bodies and similar experts.

Participants will have the chance to discuss a pre-final version of the RECIPES guidance (Sent in advance to registered guests). A series of Break-out sessions taking place on both days will allow participants to discuss the guidance to further improve its clarity, plausibility, policy relevance and future-orientation, as well as to brainstorm on the exploitation of the document.

For more information, you can find the programme of the Workshop HERE.

The workshop will be moderated by the RECIPES partners.

Organiser

Dialogik, DBT, IASS with support from UM, KNAW, UiB, K&A and ARC

Contact

Frank Dratsdrummer, Doalogik

Email: dratsdrummer@dialogik-expert.de

Themes

Artificial Intelligence in healthcare, CRISPR-based gene drives, Endocrine disruptors, Environment, Financial risks and urban waste planning, Genetically Modified Organisms (GMO’s), Glyphosate, Governance, Health, Innovation, Microplastics, Nanotechnologies, Neonicotinoid insecticides, Precaution, Regulation, Safety, Science

Interesting for

Policy Makers, Regulatory Authorities & Agencies, Research & Academia

RECIPES Event

Event Date

22 February 2022 - 23 February 2022

Location

Online

Language

English

The precautionary principle during the Covid-19 Pandemic

chiara.mazzetti@ecologic.eu — Thu, 15 Apr 2021 13:24:16 +0000

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The precautionary principle during the Covid-19 Pandemic

The RECIPES project started in January 2019 and does not address questions about the relevance and application of the precautionary principle during the Covid-19 Pandemic.

However, several experts involved in the RECIPES project have published their research on the topic:

Five ways to ensure that models serve society: a manifesto

Andrea Saltelli, Gabriele Bamme , Isabelle Brun , Erica Charter , Monica Di Fiore, Emmanuel Didier, Wendy Nelson Espeland, John Kay, Samuele Lo Piano, Deborah Mayo, Roger Pielke Jr, Tommaso Portaluri, Theodore M. Porter, Arnald Puy, Ismael Rafols, Jerome R. Ravetz, Erik Reinert, Daniel Sarewitz, Philip B. Stark, Andrew Stirling, Jeroen van der Sluijs & Paolo Vineis

Post-normal pandemics: Why COVID-19 requires a new approach to science

Published as: Waltner-Toews, D., Biggeri, A., De Marchi, B., Funtowicz, S., Giampietro, M., O'Connor, M.,Ravetz, J.R., Saltelli, A, & van der Sluijs, J. P. (2020). Post-normal pandemics: Why CoViD-19 requires a new approach to science. Recenti Progressi in Medicina, 111(4).

Models and numbers: Representing the world or imposing order?

Matthias Kaiser, Tatjana Buklijas, Peter Gluckman

Should policy makers trust composite indices? A commentary on the pitfalls of inappropriate indices for policy formation

Matthias Kaiser, Andrew Tzer‑Yeu Chen and Peter Gluckman

Towards Post-Pandemic Sustainable and Ethical Food Systems

Matthias Kaiser & Stephen Goldson & Tatjana Buklijas & Peter Gluckman & Kristiann Allen & Anne Bardsley & Mimi E. Lam

“Laws of Fear” in the EU: The Precautionary Principle and Public Health Restrictions to Free Movement of Persons in the Time of COVID-19

Iris Goldner Lang

“Brokerage at the science-policy interface: from conceptual framework to practical guidance”

Peter D. Gluckman, Anne Bardsley, Matthias Kaiser

“United by the global COVID-19 pandemic: divided by our values and viral identities”

Mimi E. Lam

"What the pandemic says about how we deal with systemic risks"

Dr. Pia-Johanna Schweizer

Themes

Health, Precaution, Science

Interesting for

Research & Academia

Date

15 April 2021

Analysis of the case studies

chiara.mazzetti@ecologic.eu — Thu, 11 Mar 2021 10:02:10 +0000

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Analysis of the case studies

To fully understand the complexities and the controversies around the application of the precautionary principle, the RECIPES project conducted nine case studies. The aim was to understand and explain the potential differences in the application depending on the topic and the context. A comparison across the different cases indicates that the application of the precautionary principle had positive effects on innovation and contributed to more responsible pathways.

Back in 2019, the RECIPES project finalised the selection of the case studies and developed a conceptual framework focusing on the role of the case studies within the project as well as a methodological framework for the individual case study analyses.

An overview of all case studies can be found HERE, while the conceptual framework and the methodological framework can be found HERE.

Gender Analysis

The RECIPES project is committed to take gender aspects into account when conducting its research. To this end, a note has been developed to inform case study authors on how to reflect gender considerations in the different research steps. The note is available HERE.

Case Studies documentation

Over the course of 2020, the case study authors have engaged in research and drafting. They prepared a report, a factsheet and a short video for all nine cases:

Case study 1: CRISPR-based gene drives
Case study 2: Genetically modified organisms
Case study 3: Endocrine disruptors
Case study 4: Neonicotinoid insecticides
Case study 5: Nanotechnologies
Case study 6: Glyphosate
Case study 7: Financial risks in water infrastructure planning
Case study 8: The use of artificial intelligence in healthcare
Case study 9: Microplastics in food products and cosmetics

All case studies have been bundled in one report, which can be found HERE.

As a last step, the RECIPES project compared the different case studies and identified complexities and controversies surrounding the application of the precautionary principle in the different cases. The report, which combines the inter-case study analysis and the identification of cross-cutting issues is available HERE.

Lessons learnt

When comparing the nine case studies, the RECIPES project identified several lessons learnt in regard to the relevance of the precautionary principle, procedures for its application and effects of the precautionary principle. Lessons learnt include the following:

Relevance: It is necessary to take a broader array of potential consequences into account when developing a new technology and to openly communicate the limitations of scientific knowledge as well as of technological solutions.
Procedures: Although deliberative methods and procedures have proven valuable for public involvement, more guidance is needed on the scope of procedures and methods to acknowledge differences e.g. in the evidence base.
Effects: While the case studies indicated that there is a need to stimulate pathways for innovation, more empirical research is required to test the claim that the precautionary principle hinders innovations in the European Union.

The RECIPES project also compared the results of the case study analysis with the results of the stocktake of the precautionary principle conducted in 2019. The results of the stocktake can be found HERE. The comparison of results can be found HERE.

Authors

Please refer to the individual reports for the list of authors.

ISBN/ISSN/DOI

N/A

Themes

Interesting for

Policy Makers, Regulatory Authorities & Agencies, Research & Academia, Industry & Business, Funding Sources & Finance

Case Study

Report

Publishing Date

11 March 2021

Language

English

RECIPES Stakeholder Workshop

chiara.mazzetti@ecologic.eu — Fri, 21 Aug 2020 14:11:47 +0000

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RECIPES Stakeholder Workshop

In June 2020, a diverse group of stakeholders met online to discuss the challenges of the precautionary principle and share their visions for the future of the precautionary principle, taking into consideration research and innovation.

Like the rest of the world, the RECIPES project has had to translate their activities into a reality affected by a pandemic. A planned face-to-face stakeholder workshop in Brussels was therefore replaced by a series of nine online meetings, which took place on 09 -12 and 15 - 16 June.

The objective of the workshops was to discuss and identify what the current implementation of the precautionary principle is lacking, but also share visions for a future that takes into consideration research and innovation. The stakeholders who took part from across Europe brought their deep knowledge on the precautionary principle and innovation, acquired either through academic research, policy work, working in civil society organisations or in relevant industries.

Despite the limits of meeting online, the stakeholders eagerly discussed the topic at hand, which led to many unique and important insights that will be valuable for the RECIPES project going forward.

The final workshop is planned to take place in September in Brussels. There, stakeholders will pinpoint barriers for their vision and what tools and guidelines could help ease decision making for lawmakers, and propose mechanisms for public involvement in decisions on research and innovation. Based on the stakeholder discussions, we will go forward to the next and final phase of the workshop and work on topics such as comprehensive and foresight decision-making, transparency, participation, and consistency.

Organiser

Danish Board of Technology (DBT)

Contact

Aske Palsberg and Søren Gram

aspa@tekno.dk, sg@tekno.dk

Themes

Environment, Governance, Health, Innovation, Precaution, Regulation, Safety, Science

Interesting for

Policy Makers, Regulatory Authorities & Agencies, Research & Academia, Industry & Business, NGOs & Associations, Citizens & Civil Society Organisations

RECIPES Event

Event Date

9 June 2020 - 16 June 2020

Location

Online

Language

English

Case Study 6: Glyphosate

chiara.mazzetti@ecologic.eu — Tue, 04 Aug 2020 07:27:42 +0000

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Case Study 6: Glyphosate

About the case

Glyphosate is one of the world’s most widely used herbicides, used in European agriculture to control weeds in a wide range of crops. The substance’s license was recently renewed, causing outrage and controversy due to its assumed connection to carcinogenic effects on humans and animals. Studies have both proven and disproven these carcinogenic effects, calling into question whether the substance should be discontinued until full safety is established. Additionally, glyphosate may be a hazard to habitats and biodiversity in farmlands and aquatic ecosystems, as it is non-selective and potentially harmful. Due to these potential impacts on health and biodiversity and the degree of uncertainty, the precautionary principle applies.

The Case Study factsheet can be downloaded HERE

The full Case Study can be downloaded HERE

The politicisation of the glyphosate renewal procedure has to be seen in the context of the larger debate surrounding the future of EU agriculture and the use of pesticides. In this regard, the application of the precautionary principle has led to increased political pressure, which is highly likely to result in some form of innovation in this area in the long run.

Brief summary of the case study

This case study analyses the role that the precautionary principle played in the EU procedures for the re-approval of glyphosate. It also discusses how the application of the precautionary principle in this case interacts with innovation and especially the ‘innovation principle’ which is recently gaining traction in the EU discourse.

A short video from the case study author

In this video, Sabrina Röttger-Wirtz, Assistant professor of EU law at Maastricht University, presents her RECIPES case study on the application of the precautionary principle in the EU renewal procedure of the glyphosate approval in 2017. The risks surrounding potential carcinogenicity, but also other risks to human health and environment are debated in the scientific community. Although the substance was not prohibited, the precautionary principle features prominently in the Pesticides Regulation which determines the re-approval procedure.

You find an article of case-study author Sabrina Röttger-Wirtz on the precautionary principle and its role in judicial review for the case of glyphosate here.

Partner: Maastricht University

Authors

Sabrina Röttger-Wirtz, Maastricht University

With thanks to: Laura Drivdal, Rosanne Edlenbosch, Tijs Sikma, Jeroen van der Sluijs, Siebe Rozendal, Ellen Vos for their insightful comments on an earlier draft.

Credits

Video recording: Sabrina Röttger-Wirtz (Maastricht University)

Animation: Lena Aebli (Ecologic Institute)

Produced by Ecologic Institute 2020, www.ecologic.eu

Themes

Glyphosate, Health, Safety, Science

Interesting for

Policy Makers, Regulatory Authorities & Agencies, Research & Academia, Industry & Business

Case Study

Video

Publishing Date

21 October 2020

Language

English

Case Study 8: The use of Artificial Intelligence in Healthcare

chiara.mazzetti@ecologic.eu — Mon, 03 Aug 2020 15:29:51 +0000

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Case Study 8: The use of Artificial Intelligence in Healthcare

About the case

Artificial Intelligence is often characterized as a transformational technology for the twenty-first century. Healthcare could be the domain in which AI will have the most impact, transforming practices in, amongst others, the fields of diagnosis, prognosis, prevention, allocating resources, organizing files, and automated operations. At the same time, the application and possible dependency on AI systems within this critical domain could also negatively impact patient safety, privacy, and fair decision making. The question is to what extent these uncertain risks may justify an invocation of the precautionary principle and how this should be balanced with the large benefits AI systems are thought to offer.

The Case Study factsheet can be downloaded HERE

The full Case Study can be downloaded HERE

Many of the most serious risks of clinical decision support system are related to the violation of human rights, like autonomy, equal access to healthcare and privacy. The European Court of Human Rights has acknowledged the relevance of the precautionary principle in relation to human rights, but the application of the principle in relation to human rights does not seem to be an established practice

A brief summary of the case study

In his case study, he focuses on clinical decision support systems. These systems influence the reasoning behind decisions made by healthcare professionals and help to minimize harmful decisions. How can the precautionary principle help to implement such new technologies?

A short video from the case study author

In this video, Tijs Sikma, researcher at the Rathenau Institute, presents his RECIPES case study on the use of artificial intelligence in healthcare.

Partner: Rathenau Institute

Authors

Tijs Sikma, Rathenau Institute
Rosanne Edelenbosch, Rathenau Institute
Petra Verhoef, Rathenau Institute

Contributors

Siebe Rozendal, IASS Potsdam
Sabrina Roettger-Wirtz & Ellen de Vos, Maastricht University
Harald Mieg, Humboldt University of Berlin

With thanks to:

Advisory board members Linda Kool, Rathenau Institute

Credits

Video recording: Tijs Sikma (Rathenau Institute)

Animation: Lena Aebli (Ecologic Institute)

Produced by Ecologic Institute 2020, www.ecologic.eu

Themes

Artificial Intelligence in healthcare, Health

Interesting for

Policy Makers, Regulatory Authorities & Agencies, Research & Academia, Industry & Business

Case Study

Video

Publishing Date

3 November 2020

Language

English