Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety: A Report on Policy Analysis, Program Design and Implementation - Fall

This workshop report analyzes the Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety, an international agreement developed under the Convention on Biological Diversity to regulate the global movement of genetically modified organisms, referred to as living modified organisms (LMOs). Advances in biotechnology have enabled scientists to transfer genes across species boundaries, creating organisms with traits such as increased crop yields or resistance to pests. While these innovations offer potential benefits for agriculture, medicine, and energy production, they also raise environmental and health concerns, including unintended ecological impacts and the potential displacement of native species. The Cartagena Protocol was developed to address these risks by establishing international rules governing the safe handling, transport, and use of LMOs.

The report evaluates the political and regulatory challenges associated with implementing the Protocol in the United States, which is not a formal party to the agreement but must still comply with its provisions when exporting biotechnology products to participating countries. Central mechanisms of the Protocol include the Advance Informed Agreement procedure, which requires exporting countries to notify importing nations before shipping LMOs, and the Biosafety Clearing-House, an international database that shares risk assessment information. To implement these requirements domestically, the report proposes a public-private partnership model in which the Environmental Protection Agency would oversee regulatory standards and compliance while private laboratories conduct risk assessments. Additional responsibilities would be shared with the U.S. Department of Agriculture and other agencies involved in biotechnology oversight. The report concludes that a collaborative regulatory framework combining government oversight with private-sector expertise offers a practical pathway for implementing biosafety regulations while supporting continued innovation in biotechnology.

Learn more about the MPA-ESP Workshop in Applied Earth Systems Management.