The transboundary movement of genetically modified organisms (GMOs) has sparked enormous controversy over the past decade. Debates over GMOs in international trade have emerged on a number of fronts. These include debates over trade-related intellectual property rights with respect to genetically engineered seeds, as well as debates over the environmental, social, and economic impacts of the trade in genetically engineered seeds and food. This panel, comprised of some of the leading international relations scholars working on the global politics of GMOs, seeks to address a number of key questions and issues around this important topic.
Panelists will include:
* Robert Falkner, London School of Economics
* Susan Sell, George Washington University
* Peter Newell, University of Warwick
* Marc Williams, University of New South Wales
* Jennifer Clapp, University of Waterloo
Questions panelists will address include:
* Has the main global mechanism to govern the trade in GMOs, the Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety, been effective?
* How can we make sense of the recent WTO dispute panel ruling on the trade in GMOs?
* What role have corporations played in seeking to influence global rules and norms around the international trade in GMO seeds and food?
* What role have the countries of the Global South played in debates over trade in GMOs?
* How can we explain the continued appearance of unapproved GMO varieties in global grain and seed shipments despite rules to prevent this from occurring?
* What role does civil society play in debates over GMOs in international trade?