Europeans, Biofuels and Biotechnology: Patterns and Trends - Survey
Europeans are known as being the world's most critical consumers. Their cautious stance on genetically modified crops, their demand for top-quality and stylish products, their push towards organic and bio-products, their expenditure on "fair trade" goods, are all signs of this attitude.
Some blame them for being risk-averse or even conservative. But according to an EU survey on biotechnology published yesterday and entitled “Europeans and biotechnology in 2005: Patterns and Trends”, this is not exactly correct: European citizens are more optimistic about technology, more informed and more trusting of biotechnology than ever. The European public is not risk-averse about technological innovations that are seen to promise tangible benefits. The fact that they're well informed though, makes them also very critical. But criticism and optimism are not mutually exclusive.
Interestingly for us, industrial applications of biotechnology in biofuels, such as ethanol and biodiesel, bio-plastics and biopharming for pharmaceuticals are widely supported in Europe, with over 70 per cent of respondents supporting incentives to develop biofuels and plastics. More people than not say they would pay more for a vehicle that runs on biofuels and pay more for bio-plastics. Around six in ten approve of biopharming providing that it is tightly regulated and across the EU those approving of biopharming outnumber those who disapprove in all but Austria.
While the majority are willing to delegate responsibility on new technologies to experts, making decisions on the basis on the scientific evidence, a substantial minority would like to see greater weight given to moral and ethical considerations in decision taking about science and technology and to the voices of the public.
The survey shows that there is widespread support for medical (red) and industrial (white) biotechnologies, but general opposition to agricultural (green) biotechnologies in all but a few countries. Europeans are interested in finding out about the risks and benefits associated with stem cell research, a utilitarian approach that informs their generally supportive view of this technology.
Industrial applications of biotechnology in biofuels, bio-plastics and biopharming for pharmaceuticals are widely supported in Europe, with over 70 per cent of respondents supporting incentives to develop biofuels and plastics. More people than not say they would pay more for a vehicle that runs on biofuels and pay more for bio-plastics. Around six in ten approve of biopharming providing that it is tightly regulated and across the EU those approving of biopharming outnumber those who disapprove in all but Austria.
The lesson for agri-food biotechnology is that unless new crops and products are seen to have consumer benefits, the public will continue to be sceptical. Looking across public perceptions of a range of technologies, resistance to GM food is the exception rather than the rule. There is no evidence that opposition to GM food is a manifestation of a wider disenchantment with science and technology in general.
The survey can be downloaded here:Europeans and biotechnology in 2005: Patterns and Trends [*.pdf]
European Business Guide.
Some blame them for being risk-averse or even conservative. But according to an EU survey on biotechnology published yesterday and entitled “Europeans and biotechnology in 2005: Patterns and Trends”, this is not exactly correct: European citizens are more optimistic about technology, more informed and more trusting of biotechnology than ever. The European public is not risk-averse about technological innovations that are seen to promise tangible benefits. The fact that they're well informed though, makes them also very critical. But criticism and optimism are not mutually exclusive.
Interestingly for us, industrial applications of biotechnology in biofuels, such as ethanol and biodiesel, bio-plastics and biopharming for pharmaceuticals are widely supported in Europe, with over 70 per cent of respondents supporting incentives to develop biofuels and plastics. More people than not say they would pay more for a vehicle that runs on biofuels and pay more for bio-plastics. Around six in ten approve of biopharming providing that it is tightly regulated and across the EU those approving of biopharming outnumber those who disapprove in all but Austria.
While the majority are willing to delegate responsibility on new technologies to experts, making decisions on the basis on the scientific evidence, a substantial minority would like to see greater weight given to moral and ethical considerations in decision taking about science and technology and to the voices of the public.
The survey shows that there is widespread support for medical (red) and industrial (white) biotechnologies, but general opposition to agricultural (green) biotechnologies in all but a few countries. Europeans are interested in finding out about the risks and benefits associated with stem cell research, a utilitarian approach that informs their generally supportive view of this technology.
Industrial applications of biotechnology in biofuels, bio-plastics and biopharming for pharmaceuticals are widely supported in Europe, with over 70 per cent of respondents supporting incentives to develop biofuels and plastics. More people than not say they would pay more for a vehicle that runs on biofuels and pay more for bio-plastics. Around six in ten approve of biopharming providing that it is tightly regulated and across the EU those approving of biopharming outnumber those who disapprove in all but Austria.
The lesson for agri-food biotechnology is that unless new crops and products are seen to have consumer benefits, the public will continue to be sceptical. Looking across public perceptions of a range of technologies, resistance to GM food is the exception rather than the rule. There is no evidence that opposition to GM food is a manifestation of a wider disenchantment with science and technology in general.
The survey can be downloaded here:Europeans and biotechnology in 2005: Patterns and Trends [*.pdf]
European Business Guide.
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