Assessing environmental risks of transgenic plants.

Area of Science:

• Environmental science
• Genetics
• Risk assessment

Background:

• A consensus on the need for case-by-case environmental risk assessment of transgenic plants emerged by the late 1980s.
• Since 1990, significant changes have occurred in assessing these risks.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review and analyze the evolution of environmental risk assessment for transgenic plants.
• To focus on changes in assessing risks to non-target species, biodiversity, gene flow, and resistance evolution.

Main Methods:

• Review of changes in risk assessment processes since 1990.
• Synthesis of previous models for tiering risk assessment.
• Proposal of a general model for tiering risk assessment.

Main Results:

• Non-target risk assessment now emphasizes local environmental impacts.
• Gene flow rates are higher than initially estimated, with developing mathematical models and management strategies.
• Insect resistance is managed via high-dose/refuge strategies, with current research on monitoring and compliance.

Conclusions:

• Future transgenic crops present greater risk assessment challenges.
• A scientifically coherent risk assessment framework is crucial.
• Further scientific understanding and environmental scientist involvement are needed to improve risk assessment.