HOW IS WHITE BIOTECHNOLOGY PERCEIVED IN WESTERN EUROPE? Fabio Terragni CERISS – Milano Bioperspective, Wiesbaden 11 May 2005 BREW Symposium White Biotechnology An Emerging Platform for Industrial Products and Processes

One of the aims of the BREW Project is to evaluate public perception and likely public acceptance of biotechnological production of bulk chemicals form renewable resources Fabio Terragni, CERISS BREW SYMPOSIUM Wiesbaden, May 11th

No previous systematic analysis on the public perception of White Biotechnology. Possible references are: EUROBAROMETERS on biotechnology: general public opinion polls (91, 93, 96, 99 AND 2002) exploring KNOWLEDGE, SUPPORT, RISK PERCEPTION, MORAL ACCEPTABILITY, PERCEIVED USEFULNESS of biotech application in EU countries. Among the results: CLEAR DISTINCTION BETWEEN MEDICAL (red, generally accepted) AND AGROFOOD APPLICATIONS (green, generally disputed); VERY FEW SPECIFIC DATA ON WHITE BIOTECHNOLOGY (GM ENZYMES FOR SOAP PRODUCTION): NO SUBSTANTIAL OPPOSITION Fabio Terragni, CERISS BREW SYMPOSIUM Wiesbaden, May 11th

Another reference, at national level, is KASSEL 2002: an on field survey on 600 consumers in KASSEL on BDP – BIODEGRADABLE POLYMERS – for food packaging. Amongst the results: - 90% SUPPORT REPLACING CONVENTIONAL WITH COMPOSTABLE PLASTICS; - 80% EVALUATE BDP QUALITY AS EITHER GOOD OR VERY GOOD; - 87% WOULD BUY IT AGAIN; - 1/3 WILLING TO PAY A SURCHARGE FOR A COMPOSTABLE BAG. Fabio Terragni, CERISS BREW SYMPOSIUMWiesbaden, May 11th

Existing data indirectly referable to White Biotechnology suggested: - the lack of prejudicial opposition and - a possible positive perception by the general public. More info needed, even is must be considered that BREW products are not intended to be addressed to the final consumer. Fabio Terragni, CERISS BREW SYMPOSIUMWiesbaden, May 11th

Three classes of factors potentially influencing the public perception have been identified: 1. Environmental impact and ethical considerations 2. Socioeconomic and macroeconomic effects 3. Impact of eventual incidents Fabio Terragni, CERISS BREW SYMPOSIUMWiesbaden, May 11th

TO RANK THE RELATIVE IMPORTANCE OF FACTORS POTENTIALLY INFLUENCING PUBLIC ACCEPTANCE OF WHITE BIOTECHNOLOGY WE USED “EXPERTS” EVALUATION. A QUESTIONNAIRE HAS BEEN SENT TO MORE THAN 300 EXPERTS IN NOVEMBER 2004 IN THE SAMPLE WE INCLUDED THE FOLOWING CONCERNED STAKEHOLDERS: RESEARCH INDUSTRY NGOs POLICYMAKERS Fabio Terragni, CERISS BREW SYMPOSIUMWiesbaden, May 11th

DESCRIPTION OF THE SAMPLE (high answer rate: 16%) Fabio Terragni, CERISS BREW SYMPOSIUMWiesbaden, May 11th

A SAMPLE OF PROFESSIONALS A PROXY OF THE GENERAL PUBLIC Fabio Terragni, CERISS BREW SYMPOSIUMWiesbaden, May 11th

SUSTAINABILITY Fabio Terragni, CERISS BREW SYMPOSIUMWiesbaden, May 11th

CONVENTIONAL CHEMISTRY VS. BIOTECHNOLOGICAL PRODUCTION Fabio Terragni, CERISS BREW SYMPOSIUMWiesbaden, May 11th

REASONS TO PREFER EACH OPTION Fabio Terragni, CERISS BREW SYMPOSIUMWiesbaden, May 11th

ATTITUDES TO POSSIBLE RISKS Fabio Terragni, CERISS BREW SYMPOSIUMWiesbaden, May 11th

PERCEIVED ECONOMIC POTENTIAL Fabio Terragni, CERISS BREW SYMPOSIUMWiesbaden, May 11th

EXPLORING VIEWS OF COMPETING TECHNOLOGICAL OPTIONS THIS SECTION COMPARES 4 ALTERNATIVE OPTIONS FOR BULK CHEMICAL PRODUCTION: A) SYNTHESIS FROM FOSSIL FEEDSTOCK (CONVENTIONAL CHEMISTRY) B) BIOTECHNOLOGICAL PRODUCTION BY NATURALLY OCCURRING BACTERIA (BACTERIA) C) BIOTECHNOLOGICAL PRODUCTION BY GENETICALLY MODIFIED BACTERIA (GM BACTERIA) D) SYNTHESIS IN GENETICALLY MODIFIED CROPS (GM PLANTS) Fabio Terragni, CERISS BREW SYMPOSIUMWiesbaden, May 11th

The first 10 criteria by importance are the following : 1. Helps to achieve climate protection goals… 2. Is likely to perform better … regarding key environmental impacts … 3. Contributes to saving fossil resources 4. Strengthens long-term international competitiveness…. 5. Has low production costs 6. Is economically attractive … 7. Reduces the country’s dependency on fossil resources… 8. Helps to make industrial chemical production more sustainable 9. Safe use of GMOs … 10. Serves customers’ and consumers’ preferences… ‘Environmental’ criteria (1, 2, 3, 8, 9, 10) turn out to be the most relevant, followed by ‘economic’ (4, 5, 6) and ‘geopolitical’ criteria (7). Fabio Terragni, CERISS BREW SYMPOSIUMWiesbaden, May 11th

OVERALL ASSESSMENT Fabio Terragni, CERISS BREW SYMPOSIUMWiesbaden, May 11th

To avoid excessive “professional” bias due, the sample has been split between ‘industry’ and ‘others’. Main differences: - ‘industry’ more reluctant to short-run shift from oil to biomass- based production (opposed 48% vs. 16%) - more emphasis on economic vs. environmental criteria - ranking of technological options (most favoured option): fossilindustry 0% others 0% bacteriaindustry 33% others 60% gm bacteriaindustry 42%others 40% gm plantsindustry 25%others 0% Fabio Terragni, CERISS BREW SYMPOSIUMWiesbaden, May 11th DISAGGREGATED ANALYSIS Fabio Terragni, CERISS BREW SYMPOSIUM Wiesbaden, May 11th

CONCLUSIONS ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES REPRESENT THE MOST IMPORTANT SET OF FACTORS INFLUENCING PUBLIC PERCEPTION AND ACCEPTANCE OF BULK CHEMICALS FROM RENEWABLE RESOURCES WHITE BIOTECHNOLOGY IS PERCEIVED AS A SUSTAINABLE TECHNOLOGY WHILE OIL-BASED PRODUCTS ARE PERCEIVED AS UNSUSTAINABLE IN THE LONG RUN AND TO BE REPLACED Fabio Terragni, CERISS BREW SYMPOSIUMWiesbaden, May 11th

CONCLUSIONS Fabio Terragni, CERISS BREW SYMPOSIUMWiesbaden, May 11th AS IN OTHER BIOTECH SURVEYS A PERCEIVED SOCIAL USEFULNESS IS ASSOCIATED WITH A LOW PERCEPTION OF RISKS OUR SURVEY INDICATES A CLEAR OPTIMISM TOWARD THE MANAGEMENT OF POSSIBLE “INDUSTRIAL” RISKS TO HUMAN HEALTH AND THE ENVIRONMENT (EVEN GM BACTERIA ARE NOT PERCEIVED AS DANGEROUS)

CONCLUSIONS Fabio Terragni, CERISS BREW SYMPOSIUMWiesbaden, May 11th EVEN POTENTIALLY CONTROVERSIAL ISSUES LINKED TO AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTION OF RENEWABLE RESOURCES ARE PERCEIVED AS RELATIVELY LESS RELEVANT CONFIRMED ALSO BY THE LOW RESPONSE RATE FROM FARMERS’ ORGANISATIONS ANYWAY A CLEAR PREFERENCE FOR NATURALLY OCCURRING PLANTS IS EXPRESSED BY NON INDUSTRY RESPONDENTS

CONCLUSIONS Fabio Terragni, CERISS BREW SYMPOSIUMWiesbaden, May 11th EVEN IF NOWADAYS TECHNICAL AND ECONOMICAL FACTORS ARE PERCEIVED AS A BARRIER TO THE INTRODUCTION OF BULK CHEMICALS PRODUCTION FROM RENEWABLE RESOURCES THERE ARE POSITIVE EXPECTATIONS ABOUT THE CONTRIBUTE OF WHITE BIOTECHNOLOGY TO ECONOMIC GROWTH

CONCLUSIONS Fabio Terragni, CERISS BREW SYMPOSIUMWiesbaden, May 11th FINALLY A RELATIVELY LOW IMPORTANCE OF GEOPOLITICAL FACTORS IN INFLUENCING PUBLIC PERCEPTION AND ACCEPTANCE OF BULK CHEMICALS PRODUCTION FROM RENEWABLE RESOURCES SEEMS TO EMERGE FROM THE STUDY

Aknowledgements Elena Recchia, CERISS Baerbel Hüsing, FgH - ISI Martin Patel, Utrecht University THANK YOU Fabio Terragni, CERISS BREW SYMPOSIUMWiesbaden, May 11th