BIOTECHNOLOGY UPDATE
HIGHLIGHTS OF THIS ISSUE
Revision of the OECD Council Recommendation on rDNA organisms
The revision of the Recommendation concerning Safety Considerations for Applications of Recombinant DNA Organisms in Industry, Agriculture and the Environment (OECD/LEGAL/0225) wasadopted by theOECD Council on 17 September 2024. Since its original adoption in 1986, the Recommendation has been a significant OECD legal instrument pertaining to international co-operation in biosafety and food/feed safety regulation. It was updated to take account of biotechnology developments, scientific advances, increased knowledge, current safety practice and regulatory systems developed by Adherents.
Find out more on page 11
OECD Global Forum on Technology – Synthetic Biology Workstream Update
The OECD Global Forum on Technology has developed a ‘Synthetic Biology Focus Group Synthesis Report’, based on the insights from 66 experts from 32 countries which met regularly since November 2023 with the aim to explore synthetic biology's trends, governance challenges, and policy issues. They identified the top transformative impact areas and cross-cutting policy themes, as well as the OECD's potential roles in responsible synthetic biology development. These insights were supplemented by the summary report for the April 2024 "Building our Biofuture" event, which gathered over 300 participants in the margins of the Science and Technology Policy Ministerial Meeting
Find out more on page 20
OECD Workshop: Prospecting The Governance of AI and SynBio Convergence: A Forward-Looking Technology Assessment
The OECD Working Party on Bio-, Nano- and Converging Technologies (BNCT) organised a workshop on 21-22 October to assess the convergence of synthetic biology and AI, automation and robotics. 40 experts gathered to map the state of the convergence, foresee co-evolutions, explore governance issues and the potential roles for international coordination. The discussions will inform OECD’s ongoing work, identifying gaps in global SynBio governance and feeding into its forward-looking technology assessment activities
Find out more on page 21
iGEM-OECD Responsibility Conference 3rd Edition
The OECD Working Party on Bio-, Nano- and Converging Technologies (BNCT) and the iGEM Foundation co-organised the 3rd edition of the Responsibility Conference on 23-24 October in Paris. The workshop addressed governance issues in synthetic biology, including AI convergence, DNA synthesis screening for biosecurity, and building societal trust. The OECD moderated a panel on anticipatory governance, discussing its role in addressing social challenges and shaping innovation responsibly, where experts called for increased awareness and capacity building in governance communities, and the need for global collaboration.
Find out more on page 22
OECD-G7 Event on Indicators for a Sustainable and Circular Bioeconomy
Th Italian Presidency of the Council of Ministers organised the workshop "Sustainable and Circular Bioeconomy for reducing emissions and restoring ecosystems" in Rome. The workshop - held in agreement with the G7 Presidency on Climate, Energy and Environment and in collaboration with the OECD Working Party on Bio-, Nano- and Converging Technologies (BNCT) - had valuable contributions of speakers from G7, G20 and OECD member countries, the European Commission and the FAO. The findings will produce a joint OECD/G7 bioeconomy policy report aiming to take stock on the implementation of the OECD’s Recommendation on Assessing the Sustainability of Bio-Based Products
Find out more on page 23
The IEA’s Renewables 2024 – Focus on Renewable Fuels
For the first time in the IEA’s Renewable Market Report series, we dedicated a specific chapter to renewable fuels (modern solid biomass, liquid biofuels, biogases, electrolytic hydrogen made from renewable electricity and e-fuels including ekerosene, ammonia and methanol) used in the transport, industry and buildings sector. Renewable fuel deployment is set to expand 4 EJ by 2030 from the 2023 level, to 5.5% of global industry, building and transport energy consumption. Demand expands in all regions, but is concentrated in India, China, Brazil, the United States and Europe, which collectively support more than two-thirds of this growth. The report summarises renewable fuel demand for 31 countries and regions from 2010 to 2030, by sector and by renewable fuel type.
Find out more on page 27
Advances in agricultural sustainable productivity growth
Sustainable Productivity Growth (SPG) and innovation are key to produce more with less resources, contributing to food production and to viable livelihoods, limiting negative impacts on the environment. The OECD is making substantial progress towards defining, understanding and measuring SPG. The most recent developments are a conference on “Sustainable Agricultural Productivity to Address Food Systems Challenges: Measurement, Data, Drivers and Policies”, and the OECD Global Forum on Agriculture on “Steering Policies towards Sustainable Agricultural Productivity” (October 2024). The flagship publication Agricultural Policy Monitoring and Evaluation 2024 focuses on “Sustainable Productivity Growth” and an environmentally sustainable productivity index (ESPI) was developed to examine sustainable productivity performance. Find out more on page 30
ICGB Newsletter No. 46, December 2024
This newsletter provides up-to-date information on activities related to biotechnology or the life sciences more generally at the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD). It is mainly intended for OECD staff and delegates to OECD meetings who are already familiar with certain aspects of the Organisation’s work. We hope that it is also informative for the wider biotech community.
The contents of this ‘Biotechnology Update’ newsletter have been provided by those members of the OECD Secretariat who are responsible for the various activities. The Secretariat can be contacted via the e-mail address: ehscont@oecd.org. Alternatively, individuals can be contacted via e-mail using the form firstname.lastname@oecd.org (See Who’s Who list at the end of the newsletter).
Visit the OECD website to access the latest news and previous editions.
ABOUT OECD’S INTERNAL CO-ORDINATION GROUP FOR BIOTECHNOLOGY (ICGB)
The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) and its member countries have been addressing issues related to biotechnology since 1982.
From that time, biotechnology has had an increasing impact on the programmes of different sectors at OECD such as: agriculture and trade; environment; science, technology and innovation. In 1993, the Internal Co-ordination Group for Biotechnology (ICGB) was established to facilitate co-ordination among these sectors.
Jane Richardson, Head of OECD’s Biosafety, Novel Foods/Feeds Safety and Pesticides Programmes is the Executive Secretary of the ICGB, and the editor of the ICGB Newsletter with the contribution of Satoshi Nakano.
Contacts: Jane Richardson, Satoshi Nakano (ENV/EHS)
GREEN GROWTH AND SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT
The 2024 GGSD Forum was held jointly with the Global Forum on Trade on the theme of “The role of international trade and investment for the green transition” on 10-11 October 2024.
Under this overarching theme and drawing on the OECD Horizontal Projects “Net Zero+: Climate and Economic Resilience in a Changing World”, the joint event explored how trade policies can help address the triple planetary crisis by supporting the adoption of environmental goods and services (ESGs) and closing the material loop for a more circular, low-carbon economy. It also discussed latest developments in measuring carbon footprints along supply chains, how to promote cross-border investments in low-carbon assets, and issues around the design of industrial policies targeted at environmental objectivesfor international trade and investment. With shipping accounting foraround 80% of the volume of international trade in goods, the forum will also explore the best practices and challenges for greening maritime transport.
It gathered a wide range of high-level speakers, including Christos Stylianides, Greek Minister of Maritime Affairs and Insular Policy, Simon Watts, New Zealand Minister of Climate Change and Revenue, Daniel Esty, Professor at the Yale Law School.
Recordings of the sessions are available on the Forum website
Contact: Enrico Botta (ENV)
Website: https://www.oecd.org/en/networks/green-growth-and-sustainable-developmentforum.html
FOOD SYSTEMS
Background
The term “food systems” refers to all the elements and activities that relate to the production, processing, distribution, preparation and consumption of food, and the effects of these activities. The emphasis on “food systems” highlights the importance of potential synergies and trade-offs across different policy domains which have often been treated in silos – e.g. public health and nutrition, the environment, poverty and rural development. Food systems matter not only for food security and nutrition, and for the livelihoods of those involved in them, but also for environmental sustainability. The United Nations organised a UN Food Systems Summit in September 2021, and OECD published a major report on Making Better Policies for Food Systems (2021).
Following the publication of Making Better Policies for Food Systems, OECD work on food systems tackled the question of evidence gaps on food systems. A first paper, Overcoming Evidence Gaps on Food Systems, set out the challenges. Four papers then explore evidence gaps on food insecurity and food assistance, gender and food systems, and environmental impacts along food supply chains and how to improve them
Ongoing work on food systems
In 2023-24, OECD work on food systems will take stock of policies to reduce food loss and waste, and will assess practical approaches to strengthen resilience in food systems.
Work on food loss and waste will provide in-depth information on the global food loss and waste (FLW) policy environment based on an OECD survey of 42 countries and the European Commission, carried out in 2023, and three case studies (Australia, France and Japan). While acknowledging the need for flexible policy approaches adapted to national contexts, this report will identify common practices, remaining challenges, and success elements to inform dialogue among countries to deepen learning and accelerate policy action. The report will be launched in January 2025.
Furthermore, OECD work will explore the possibilities and challenges involved in measuring and communicating environmental impacts of food. As part of this work, in April 2023, the OECD Global Forum on Agriculture explored the topic of carbon footprints for food systems. A recording of the scene-setting presentation, outlining the various initiatives to measure and communicate carbon footprints of food products; can be found here. A background paper, “Fast and Furious: The Rise of Environmental Impact Reporting in Food Systems”, has been published in the European Review of Agricultural Economics, see here.
The OECD Food Chain Analysis Network also studied this topic in detail in 2023-2024. A first meeting was held in June 2023 and took stock of different initiatives to measure and communicate environmental impacts (including, but not limited to, carbon footprints). A series of virtual workshops then explored these issues in more depth. In October 2024, a hybrid meeting of the Food Chain Analysis Network discussed the eight “building blocks” needed to establish widespread and reliable carbon footprints of food products. An OECD report on this will be published in early 2025.
Recent publications
• Deconinck, K., Jansen, M., and C. Barisone (2023), “Fast and furious: the rise of environmental impact reporting in food systems,” European Review of Agricultural Economics, Volume 50, Issue 4, September 2023, Pages 1310–1337, https://doi.org/10.1093/erae/jbad018
• Deconinck, K. and M. Hobeika (2022), "Improving environmental outcomes along food supply chains: A review of initiatives and their effectiveness", OECD Food, Agriculture and Fisheries Papers, No. 186, OECD Publishing, Paris, https://doi.org/10.1787/d549eb43-en.
• Deconinck, K. and L. Toyama (2022), "Environmental impacts along food supply chains: Methods, findings, and evidence Gaps", OECD Food, Agriculture and Fisheries Papers, No. 185, OECD Publishing, Paris, https://doi.org/10.1787/48232173-en.
• Giner, C., M. Hobeika and C. Fischetti (2022), "Gender and food systems: Overcoming evidence gaps", OECD Food, Agriculture and Fisheries Papers, No. 184, OECD Publishing, Paris, https://doi.org/10.1787/355ba4ee-en
• Giner, C. and O. Placzek (2022), "Food insecurity and food assistance programmes across OECD countries: Overcoming evidence gaps", OECD Food, Agriculture and Fisheries Papers, No. 183, OECD Publishing, Paris, https://doi.org/10.1787/42b4a7fa-en
• OECD (2021), Making Better Policies for Food Systems, OECD Publishing, Paris https://doi.org/10.1787/ddfba4de-en
Contact: Koen Deconinck (TAD/ATM)
HARMONISATION OF REGULATORY OVERSIGHT IN BIOTECHNOLOGY
The OECD’s Working Party on the Harmonisation of Regulatory Oversight in Biotechnology (WP-HROB) deals with the environmental safety of organisms produced through modern biotechnology (plants, animals, micro-organisms). The work aims to ensure that the types of elements used in biosafety assessment, as well as the methods to collect such information, are as similar as possible amongst countries. This improves mutual understanding and harmonised practice, which in turn, increases the efficiency of the biosafety assessment process, limits duplication of effort, while reducing barriers to trade
The WP-HROB participants are mainly officials from OECD countries responsible for the environmental risk/safety assessment of products derived from modern biotechnology. Observer delegations and invited experts collaborate actively, given the use of biotech products and breeding activities worldwide. They include candidate countries and other partner countries interested (in recent years: Argentina, Brazil, Bulgaria, Croatia, India, Kenya, Paraguay, Philippines, Romania, South Africa, Thailand, Uruguay, Viet Nam); Business at OECD (BIAC); other inter-governmental and expert organisations such as FAO; UNEP; the Convention on Biological Diversity Secretariat; the African Biosafety Network of Expertise (AUDA NEPAD-ABNE) and the Agriculture and Food Systems Institute (AFSI), The 39th meeting of the WP-HROB will be held in March 2025.
The publication of the OECD Series on the Harmonisation of Regulatory Oversight in Biotechnology remains a major output of the programme. They constitute a set of practical tools for regulators and biosafety assessors dealing with new varieties produced through modern biotechnology, with respect to environmental safety. The 72 documents issued to date address the biology of crops, trees, animals and micro-organisms, selected traits that have been introduced in plants, as well as other key issues in the context of environmental risk assessment. The Series also includes information documents, which compile elements provided by delegations to share up-to-date information on biosafety.
Revised Consensus Document on the Biology of Wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) was published in December 2024. This is a revision of the original document published in 1999. It provides information for use in the risk/safety regulatory assessment of genetically engineered varieties of wheat intended to be grown in the environment (biosafety). It includes elements of taxonomy, centres of origin, cultivation, reproductive biology, genetics, hybridisation and introgression, as well as ecology. Annexes present common diseases and pests of wheat and current biotechnology developments.
Works under development are as follows:
• Consensus documents:
o Revised maize biology document
o Biology of mosquitoes Anopheles gambiae (publication expected in 2025), Anopheles albimanus and Anopheles stephensi where engineered strains are being used to fight against malaria disease vectored by the insect
o Biology and use of photoautotrophic microalgae for biomass production
In common with WP-SNFF:
• Enhanced information exchange on New Breeding Techniques
• Moving towards “safe(r)-innovation-approach” in the context of modern biotechnology
Revision of the OECD Council Recommendation on rDNA organisms
The Recommendation concerning Safety Considerations for Applications of Recombinant DNA Organisms in Industry, Agriculture and the Environment (OECD/LEGAL/0225. the “Recommendation”), adopted by the OECD Council on 16 July 1986, aims to promote a common understanding of the safety issues raised by applications of recombinant DNA organisms and to provide the basis for taking initial steps toward international consensus, the protection of health and the environment, the promotion of international commerce and the reduction of national barriers to trade in the field of biotechnology.
The OECD Working Party on the Harmonisation of Regulatory Oversight in Biotechnology (WP-HROB) and the Working Party for the Safety of Novel Foods and Feeds (WP-SNFF) started discussions to evaluate the relevance of the Recommendation in 2019, circulated a survey to their delegates in 2020 and developed four drafts between 2022 and 2024.
In May 2024, the WP-HROB and the WP-SNFF approved the transmission of the draft revised Recommendation to the Chemicals and Biotechnology Committee (CBC). In June 2024, the CBC approved the draft revised Recommendation, for transmission to Council for adoption. The Council adopted the revised Recommendation on 17 September 2024.
The revised Recommendation includes the following main revisions:
• Reference to recent OECD work completed under the environmental safety and novel food and feed safety programmes;
• Recognition of the accumulated experience of risk/safety assessment of traditionally bred and recombinant DNA organisms may have relevance to risk/safety assessments of organisms derived by new biotechnology techniques other than recombinant DNA techniques;
• Adjust and clarify references to the work on standards of other relevant international organisations or bodies/entities, update the name of responsible committee, arrange text formatting and align the language and structure with recent OECD Recommendations
Upcoming events
• 39th Meeting of the Working Party on the Harmonisation of Regulatory Oversight in Biotechnology, 24-26 March 2025
• 40th Meeting of the Working Party on the Harmonisation of Regulatory Oversight in Biotechnology, 22-24April 2026
Recent publications
• Revised Recommendation of the Council concerning Safety Considerations for Applications of Recombinant DNA Organisms in Industry, Agriculture and the Environment
• Revised Consensus Document on the Biology of Wheat (Triticum aestivum L.)
Website: BioTrack Online https://www.oecd.org/en/topics/biosafety-novel-food-and-feedsafety.html
Contacts: Satoshi Nakano, Jane Richardson, Ester Carregal Romero (ENV/EHS)
SAFETY OF NOVEL FOODS AND FEEDS
The OECD Working Party for the Safety of Novel Foods and Feeds (WP-SNFF) addresses aspects of the risk/safety assessment and regulation of novel foods and feeds, especially products of modern biotechnology. The work aims to ensure that the types of elements used in risk/safety assessment, as well as the methods to collect such information, are as similar as possible amongst countries. The approach is to compare crops produced through modern biotechnology and derived products with similar conventional ones that are already known and considered safe in their use, based on recognised experience. Harmonised methods and practice, as well as share of data are facilitated through the WP-SNFF activities. The 32nd meeting of the WP-SNFF will be held in March 2025.
Consensus documents and other documents
The main output is the set of consensus documents on compositional considerations for new varieties of specific crops. These documents compile a common base of scientific information on the major components of the plants and their derived products: key nutrients; toxicants; antinutrients; and other plant metabolites where relevant. Other publications deal with general aspects to facilitate harmonisation in safety assessment. These documents constitute practical tools for regulators and risk assessors dealing with new varieties produced through modern biotechnology, with respect to human food and animal feed safety. The Series also includes information documents which compile elements provided by delegations to share up-to-date information. To date, 31 documents have been published on major crops and mushrooms, the animal feedstuffs, as well as the molecular characterisation of plants derived from modern biotechnology developed in common with the WPHROB. They are available through the OECD BioTrack website (https://www.oecd.org/en/topics/biosafety-novel-food-and-feed-safety.html ).
Two composition documents, on maize (revision) and faba bean (Vicia faba), are under development. Joint projects conducted with the WP-HROB are the enhanced information exchange on New Breeding Techniques, and the project on moving towards “safe(r)-innovation-approach” in the context of modern biotechnology.
Outreach and Engagement of Non Member Economies
Officials from OECD countries and delegates from the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA), Business at OECD (BIAC), observer organisations such as FAO, UNEP, the African Biosafety Network of Expertise (AUDA NEPAD-ABNE) and the Agriculture and Food Systems Institute (AFSI) participate actively in the novel food and feed safety programme. In addition, the WP-SNFF has increasingly exchanged experience, scientific knowledge and interests with non-member economies, which allows it to address a wider range of food and feed products of global interest. Brazil, South Africa and Thailand, for example, were actively involved in the drafting of consensus documents on compositional considerations for cowpea, cassava, papaya as well as other tropical crops. The WPSNFF benefits also from the expertise from Argentina, Croatia, India, Kenya, Paraguay, Philippines, Singapore, Uruguay and Viet Nam.
Upcoming events:
• 32nd Meeting of the Working Party for the Safety of Novel Foods & Feeds, 26-28 March 2025
• 33rd Meeting of the Working Party on the Safety of Novel Foods & Feeds, 20-22 April 2026
Website: BioTrack Online https://www.oecd.org/en/topics/biosafety-novel-food-and-feedsafety.html
Contacts: Satoshi Nakano, Jane Richardson (ENV/EHS)
BIOTRACK ONLINE
The BioTrack Online information system is a mechanism by which the Working Party on the Harmonisation of Regulatory Oversight in Biotechnology and the Working Party for the Safety of Novel Foods and Feeds make publicly available the outputs of their work, especially their Consensus/Guidance Documents described in sections above.
BioTrack Online offers also a public access to the “Product Database”. This database allows regulatory officials to easily share basic information on products derived from the use of modern biotechnology (mainly crop plants) and approved for commercial application in terms of food, feed or environmental safety. The database is updated, on a voluntary basis, by authorities of countries participating in the OECD biosafety activities. Products are listed with unique identifiers, and the information includes common/scientific names of the host organism and introduced genes, the events and traits, the regulatory elements and relevant links regarding approvals for release and use in countries.
Information on new or updated entries provided by Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Canada, Japan, Paraguay and European Union were added to the Product Database in 2024. Currently, the database includes 425 products of genetically engineered crops, trees and flowers, from a total of 27plant species (banana as new species), these products being approved in one or several of 17 countries and the European Union.
BioTrack Online also contains the regulatory contacts of OECD member countries and other stakeholders involved in biosafety and novel food/feed safety.
The co-operation continues between the OECD’s Product Database, the CBD Biosafety ClearingHouse and the FAO GM Food Platform, for interoperability between these web-based systems and facilitating the exchange of information on safety assessment of organisms and foods derived from biotechnology. This activity responds to a request from the Codex ad hoc Task Force on Food Derived from Biotechnology, and a Memorandum of Cooperation signed between OECD and the Secretariat of the Convention on Biological Diversity
Website: BioTrack Online https://www.oecd.org/en/topics/biosafety-novel-food-and-feedsafety.html
Product Database https://biotrackproductdatabase.oecd.org/
Contacts: Satoshi Nakano, Jane Richardson (ENV/EHS)
BIODIVERSITY ECONOMICS AND POLICY
Biodiversity work at the OECD focuses on the economics and policies needed to promote the effective conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity. It covers areas such as the effective design and implementation of economic instruments and other policy measures, biodiversity mainstreaming and finance. This programme also supports the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD). The work is conducted under the oversight of the OECD Working Party on Biodiversity, Water and Ecosystems (WPBWE), a subsidiary body of the Environment Policy Committee (EPOC).
Biodiversity, including forests, wetlands and marine ecosystems, is fundamental to human well-being and the economy. Biodiversity provides critical ecosystem services such as food provisioning, water purification, nutrient cycling, and climate regulation, all of which are essential to support human wellbeing and economic growth. Despite the significant economic, social and cultural benefits provided by biodiversity and ecosystem services, global biodiversity is declining.
On-going OECD work on biodiversity is on Scaling up Positive Incentives for Biodiversity; and A Review of Quantifying and Reforming Environmentally Harmful Subsidies/Support.
The 2024 update of Tracking Economic Instruments and Finance for Biodiversity was released in October DrawingontheOECDdatabaseonPolicyInstrumentsfortheEnvironment(PINE),the2024edition ofTrackingEconomicInstrumentsandFinanceforBiodiversityprovidesthelatestdataonbiodiversity-relevant economic instruments(knownaspositiveincentivesundertheConventiononBiologicalDiversity’sKunmingMontreal Global Biodiversity Framework) and the finance they mobilise. The database includes information from over 140 countries on biodiversity-positive taxes and fees, tradable permits, environmentally-motivated subsidies, paymentsfor ecosystemservicesandbiodiversity offsets.
The report “Mainstreaming Biodiversity into Renewable Power Infrastructure” was launched in January 2024 through a Green Talk Live The report synthesises evidence on biodiversity impacts from renewable power infrastructure. It identifies opportunities for mainstreaming biodiversity into power sector planning and policy to deliver better outcomes for nature and the climate.
“Assessing nature-related risks in the Hungarian financial system Charting the impact of nature's financial echo” was published in June 2024. The paper assesses nature-related risks within the Hungarian economy and financial system. It draws on the OECD’s Supervisory Framework published in 2023, which provides technical guidance to central banks and financial supervisors on how to prioritise, conceptualise, and assess biodiversity- and nature-related financial risks with respect to their financial system.
The OECD released a working paper on “Identifying and assessing subsidies and other incentives harmful to biodiversity: A comparative review of existing national level assessments and insights for good practice” in November 2022. The paper reviews the existing national level studies undertaken to identify and assess incentives harmful to biodiversity or the environment more broadly, and concludes with good practice insights for other countries wishing to undertake similar studies (as called for under the Convention on Biological Diversity).
Recent publications and working papers:
• OECD (2024), Tracking economic instruments and finance for biodiversity – 2024
• OECD (2024), Mainstreaming Biodiversity into Renewable Power Infrastructure, OECD Publishing, Paris, https://doi.org/10.1787/357ac474-en
• Boffo, Miller, Gülersoy and Carneiro (2024), “Assessing nature-related risks in the Hungarian financial system: Charting the impact of nature’s financial echo” Environment Working Paper, No. 243, OECD Publishing, Paris, https://doi.org/10.1787/24fd70e3-en.
• OECD (2023), "A supervisory framework for assessing nature-related financial risks: Identifying and navigating biodiversity risks", OECD Business and Finance Policy Papers, No. 33, OECD Publishing, Paris, https://doi.org/10.1787/a8e4991f-en.
• OECD (2023), "Assessing biodiversity-related financial risks: Navigating the landscape of existing approaches", OECD Environment Policy Papers, No. 36, OECD Publishing, Paris, https://doi.org/10.1787/d52137a5-en
• OECD (2022), “Identifying and assessing subsidies and other incentives harmful to biodiversity at national level: A comparative review of existing national level assessments and insights for good practice” , OECD Environment Working Papers, No. 206, OECD Publishing, Paris, https://doi.org/10.1787/3e9118d3-en.
• OECD (2021), “Biodiversity, natural capital and the economy: A policy guide for finance, economic and environment ministers” , OECD Environment Policy Papers, No. 26, OECD Publishing, Paris, https://doi.org/10.1787/1a1ae114-en
Website: https://www.oecd.org/en/topics/biodiversity.html
Contacts: Katia Karousakis, Edward Perry (ENV/ETR)
SEMINAR ON PROBLEM FORMULATION FOR THE RISK ASSESSMENT OF BIOPESTICIDES, 12TH EXPERT GROUP ON BIOPESTICIDES
The seminar on Problem Formulation for the Risk Assessment of Biopesticides was organised by the OECD Expert Group on Biopesticides (EGBP) and was held in February 2024.
The seminar stemmed from a previous CRP-sponsored event on Innovating Microbial Pesticide Testing that identified the need for an overarching guidance document to determine when in vivo tests are necessary. Problem Formulation, a common practice in pesticide risk assessment, was highlighted as a useful approach for addressing uncertainties in data requirements for biopesticides. The seminar featured presentations from various perspectives, including industry, regulatory bodies, and academia.
Topics included the history and principles of Problem Formulation, industry perspectives on Problem Formulation and how it is applied internally for microbial pesticides, regulatory approaches, and specific case studies. The seminar provided an overview of the challenges, considerations, and potential solutions in harmonising Problem Formulation for biopesticide risk assessment. It emphasised the need for collaboration and discussion to develop Problem Formulation guidance for biopesticides.
The seminar's primary outcome was identifying the need for collaboration and discussion to develop Guidance on Problem Formulation for biopesticides.
Publications:
• OECD (2024), Report of the 12th Expert Group on Biopesticides Seminar on Problem Formulation for the risk assessment of biopesticides, Series on Pesticides and Biocides, OECD Publishing, Paris, https://doi.org/10.1787/c78ef74a-en
• OECD (2023), Innovating Microbial Pesticide Testing: Conference Proceedings, https://one.oecd.org/document/ENV/CBC/MONO(2023)10/en/pdf
• Paege, N., Feustel, S. & Marx-Stoelting, P. Toxicological evaluation of microbial secondary metabolites in the context of European active substance approval for plant protection products. Environ Health 23, 52 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1186/s12940-024-01092-0.
• Wend, K., Zorrilla, L., Freimoser, F.M. et al. Microbial pesticides – challenges and future perspectives for testing and safety assessment with respect to human health. Environ Health 23, 49 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1186/s12940-024-01090-2
Other relevant EGBP activities: The EGBP has published an OECD Guidance Document on Baculoviruses as Plant Protection Products. This will complement the Consensus Document on Information Used in the Assessment of Environmental Applications Involving Baculoviruses [ENV/JM/MONO(2002)1] published by the Working Party on the Harmonisation of Regulatory Oversight in Biotechnology in 2002. Only a few additional, publicly available safety studies have been carried out during the last 20 years, but the new Guidance Document will extend the 2002 Consensus Document by referring to new knowledge on the biology of baculoviruses, as well as describing experiences using baculovirus as a plant protection agent. The document is expected to be published later in 2023.
The EGBP is currently drafting two more consensus documents for Beauveria bassiana and Bacillus amyloliquefaciens.
Publications:
• OECD (2023), Guidance Document on Baculoviruses as Plant Protection Products, Series on Pesticides and Biocides, OECD Publishing, Paris, https://doi.org/10.1787/8f0dc501-en.
Events The 13th Expert Group on BioPesticides Seminar 25-26 February 2024
Session 1: Regulatory Considerations for Peptides
Session 2: Taxonomic changes of Bacillus thuringiensis
Session 3: Risk Assessment of Semiochemicals
Contacts: Magda Sachana, Jane Richardson (ENV/EHS)
OECD GLOBAL FORUM ON TECHNOLOGY
– SYNTHETIC BIOLOGY WORKSTEAM UPDATE
The OECD Global Forum on Technology has developed a ‘Synthetic Biology Focus Group Synthesis Report’ based on the insights from 66 experts from 32 countries which met regularly since November 2023. With backgrounds in research, governments, academia, industry and non-governmental organisations, these experts were brought together to share their insights and provide evidence on the technical, social and policy issues facing this technology. The group aimed to take a forward-look at emerging synthetic biology trends and where they will impact, articulate the main associated governance challenges and identify key policy issues that could be explored in future OECD work to inform policymakers.
Experts identified five high impacts areas where synthetic biology could lead to transformative change: human health and life sciences, food security and soil regeneration, circularity and emissions reduction, convergence with artificial intelligence and automation, and enabling decentralised and distributed manufacturing. Cutting across these application areas, experts discerned five policy and governance themes where major issues and opportunities arise: strong and resilient innovation ecosystems, skills and workforce development, equity and access, biosecurity and biosafety, and anticipatory governance and responsible innovation Experts saw an active role for the OECD in addressing some of these implications, leveraging its global reputation and expertise. These included the potential for an OECD recommendation on the responsible development of synthetic biology, sharing best practices on technology assessment, developing advanced metrics and indicators, and anticipating the convergence with artificial intelligence, automation and robotics. The report is currently being reviewed by committee but a public briefing document from April 2024 is available for more information
In addition to the expert group’s regular meetings, the synthesis report was informed by the event “Building our Biofuture: Policy issues and opportunities for next generation biotechnologies”, which was organised in April 2024 in the margins of the OECD Science and Technology Policy Ministerial Meeting. The day-long conference deep dived into the promise of the technology, the associated policy challenges and opportunities to address them. Over 300 participants – including senior policymakers at the Minister level, frontline natural and social scientists, industrial actors and civil society – covering over 50 countries, attended the event onsite and online.
The OECD Global Forum on Technology is a venue for regular in-depth dialogue to foresee and get ahead of long-term opportunities and risks presented by technology. It facilitates inclusive, multistakeholder and values-based discussions on specific technology policy topics, responding to gaps in existing fora. The current focus has been on three technologies: immersive technologies, quantum technologies and synthetic biology
Contact: Douglas Robinson (STI/STP) douglas.robinson@oecd.org, Daniel Nadal (STI/STP) daniel.nadal@oecd.org
OECD WORKSHOP: PROSPECTING THE GOVERNANCE OF AI AND SYNBIO CONVERGENCE: A FORWARD-LOOKING TECHNOLOGY ASSESSMENT
On 21-22 October 2024, the OECD Working Party on Biotechnology, Nanotechnology and Converging Technologies (BNCT) organised the workshop “Prospecting the governance of AI and SynBio convergence: A forward-looking technology assessment” .
Synthetic biology has positioned itself as a powerful motor to tackle growing global societal challenges by revolutionising a range of sectors, from healthcare to agriculture to manufacturing. Its convergence with artificial intelligence tools like machine learning and large language models, as well as accompanying digital technologies like big data and automation, is further accelerating the pace of innovation and expanding the boundaries of what is possible. For example, AI-based generative protein design cancreatemolecules with novel properties, reduce research time and costs, and enable personalised therapies. Yet challenges will need to be tackled, such as the democratisation of synthetic biology capabilities to nefarious actors, or the use of opaque algorithms and data sets that could enhance existing biases
To identify how future governance frameworkscould grapple with these issues, the workshop brought together 40 experts in synthetic biology, artificial intelligence, governance and foresight from academia, industry and policy. They mapped the convergence of synthetic biology and artificial intelligence to date, foresaw potential co-evolutions and the potential governance issues and opportunities, and explored the readiness of the current governance ecosystem and the ongoing role of the OECD.
The outcome of these discussions will feed into ongoing OECD work by identifying gaps or challenges in the global ecosystem of synthetic biology governance, as well as its forward-looking technology assessment activities and exploring the potential of an OECD Recommendation on the Responsible Development of Synthetic Biology.
Contact: Douglas Robinson (STI/STP) douglas.robinson@oecd.org, Daniel Nadal (STI/STP) daniel.nadal@oecd.org
IGEM-OECD RESPONSIBILITY CONFERENCE 3RD EDITION
For the second year running, the OECD supported the iGEM Foundation in organising the 3rd edition of their Responsibility Conference on 23-24 October, which took place in during the iGEM Grand Jamboree in Paris that saw 5000 attendees (researchers, industry, startups, students, academia…) come together chart the future of synthetic biology.
The 2-day workshop aimed to unpack some of the current governance issues faced by the synthetic biology field These included the convergence with artificial intelligence, international efforts on DNA synthesis screening programs to promote biosecurity, and the importance of fostering trust in technology across stakeholder groups.
In line with its ongoing activities on responsible innovation, the OECD Working Party on Bio-, Nanoand Converging Technologies moderated the panel ‘Ecosystems of Anticipatory Governance: the Good, the Bad and the Ugly’. Experts from academia, start-ups and law enforcement deep dived into the promise of anticipatory governance approaches to get ahead of the social challenges accompanying technology development, and how these insights can support long-term decision-making to effectively shape innovation in a values-based manner. They discussed the history of this approach, as well as how novel technological trends in SynBio were impacting ongoing and unresolved governance challenges, from biosecurity to funding. A key recommendation from the panellists was to increase awareness and capacity building within governance communities, particularly in international organisations, as global collaboration was deemed essential to foster a responsible and thriving bioeconomy.
A report summarising the key discussion points will be published in the coming weeks by the iGEM Foundation
Contact: Douglas Robinson (STI/STP) douglas.robinson@oecd.org, Daniel Nadal (STI/STP) daniel.nadal@oecd.org
G7-OECD EVENT ON INDICATORS FOR A SUSTAINABLE AND CIRCULAR BIOECONOMY
On 31 October, theNational Coordination Groupfor the Bioeconomy -within the National Committee for Biosafety, Biotechnology and Life Sciences of the Italian Presidency of the Council of Ministersorganised the hybrid workshop "Sustainable and Circular Bioeconomy for reducing emissions and restoring ecosystems: success stories and indicators and best practices for monitoring their sustainability" in Rome. The event was held in agreement with the G7 Presidency on Climate, Energy and Environment and in collaboration with the OECD Working Party on Bio-, Nano- and Converging Technologies (BNCT).
The workshop had the valuable contributions of 18 speakers from G7, G20 and OECD member countries, the European Commission and the FAO. This included high-level interventions from the Italian Minister for Environment & Energy Security; the Italian Minister of University and Research; the Brazilian Secretary of State for Climate, Energy and Environment (and the Presidency of G20 Bioeconomy Initiative); the Director of the OECD Directorate for Science, Technology and Innovation; and the “Healthy Planet” Director at the European Commission’s Directorate-General for Research and Innovation.
The discussionsand findings of theworkshopwere collected to produce ajoint OECD-G7 Bioeconomy policy report aiming to take stock on the implementation of the OECD’s Recommendation on Assessing the Sustainability of Bio-Based Products
The OECD’s BNCT Secretariat expresses its gratitude to Fabio Fava from the National Bioeconomy Coordination Board (CNBBSV) of the Italian Presidency of Council of Ministers and BNCT delegate for leading the organisation of this workshop and his valuable contributions to the BNCT work.
Contact: Cesar Barraza-Botet (STI/STP), cesar.barraza-botet@oecd.org
BIOTECHNOLOGY STATISTICS
The OECD Key Biotech Indicators (KBI) and OECD Key Nanotech Indicators (KNI) were updated in October 2024
The KBI and KNI data are available at: https://www.oecd.org/en/data/datasets/emerging-technology-indicators.html.
Contact: Brigitte van Beuzekom (STI/STP)
BIOENERGY AND BIOFUELS AT TRADE AND AGRICULTURE DIRECTORATE
The subject of bioenergy touches various areas, in particular, scientific developments, environmental effects, energy balances and agricultural market economics. The Trade and Agriculture Directorate (TAD) work on bioenergy focuses on a comprehensive compilation of data and information, the categorisation of the variety of support policies and the quantitative analysis of bioenergy markets and policy measures.
The OECD-FAO Agricultural Outlook annual report covers biofuel market and related policy developments. The 2024 Agricultural Outlook (projecting on the 2024-2033 period) is available at http://www.agri-outlook.org/, see ‘Biofuels’ chapter (OECD/FAO, 2024).
TAD has created a detailed database of policies in the fertiliser and biofuel sectors of OECD countries and several Emerging Economies. An analysis of these policies and their implications for agricultural markets and incomes has been published within the Food, Agriculture and Fisheries Paper series (von Lampe et al., 2014). A previous Trade and Environment Working Paper has focused on domestic incentive measures for renewable energy with possible trade implications (Bahar, Egeland and Steenblick, 2013).
TAD participates in the Agricultural Market Information System (AMIS) project (www.amisoutlook.org). One of TAD’s contributions to AMIS is to report each month on newly implemented biofuel policies in the AMIS countries in the Market Monitor Report.
Recent Publication:
• OECD/FAO (2024), OECD-FAO Agricultural Outlook 2024-2033 – “Biofuels” chapter, full document available at: http://www.agri-outlook.org/.
Website: OECD-FAO Agricultural Outlook: https://www.agri-outlook.org/commodities/ AMIS Market Monitor Report: http://www.amis-outlook.org/amis-monitoring/monthly-report/en/
Contacts: Annelies Deuss (TAD/ATM), Martin Von Lampe (TAD/PTA)
BIOENERGY AT THE INTERNATIONAL ENERGY AGENCY (IEA) - RENWEABLE FUELS
OUTLOOK AND G20 SUPPORT ON CARBON ACCOUNTING FOR SUSTAINABLE FUELS
The activities of the International Energy Agency (IEA) cover bioenergy across the electricity, heat and transport sectors. The following summarises notable activities in 2024
Renewables 2024 – Focus on Renewable Fuels
• For the first time in the IEA Renewable Market Report series, we dedicated a specific chapter to renewable fuels (modern solid biomass, liquid biofuels, biogases, electrolytic hydrogen made from renewable electricity and e-fuels including e-kerosene, ammonia and methanol) used in the transport, industry and buildings sector.
• Renewable fuel deployment is set to expand 4 EJ by 2030 from the 2023 level, to 5.5% of global industry, building and transport energy consumption. Demand expands in all regions, but is concentrated in India, China, Brazil, the United States and Europe, which collectively support more than two-thirds of this growth.
• Liquid biofuels (+1.1 EJ from 2023 to 2030) account for the most growth in the transport sector, while solid bioenergy (+2.6 EJ) expands primarily in the industrial sector and for clean cooking. Biogases (+0.4 EJ) expands the most in the United States and Europe thanks to established biogas production, support infrastructure, policies and experience.
• Renewable Fuels Progress Tracker: Country level detail is available in the Renewable Energy Progress Tracker including additional details on biofuel supply, demand and feedstock demand.
Figure 1: Renewable fuel demand by sector, 2023-30, main case
Towards Common Criteria for Sustainable Fuels
• This report – produced in support of Brazil’s G20 Presidency – explores the feasibility and implications of setting up common criteria to enable fair comparisons of sustainable fuels.
• It maps commonalities and differences among the standards, regulations and certifications used for sustainable fuels across different regions and markets.
• It reviews typical carbon intensities and the improvement potential of various fuel production pathways and sets out policy considerations for governments that wish to work toward common criteria for sustainable fuels.
Carbon Accounting for Sustainable Biofuels
• The present study, prepared in support of Brazil’s G20 presidency, examines such complexities and discusses regulatory approaches for accounting biofuel carbon intensity across various regions.
• It highlights the main reasons for variability of lifecycle GHG emissions of biofuels and emphasises that impacts of land use change are a major source of disagreement across different policy frameworks.
• It concludes that policies need to adopt pragmatic approaches to foster verifiable and performance-based continuous improvement of sustainable biofuels
Figure 2: Example of a quantitative GHG intensity labelling system for selected sustainable fuel pathways at the point of delivery
World Energy Outlook 2024
• Modern bioenergy demand worldwide increases from 42 EJ today to 56 EJ by 2035 and to more than 70 EJ by 2050 in the Stated Policy Scenario (Figure 3.41).
• In the Announced Pledges Scenario and the Net Zero by 2050 Scenario, production rises to almost 100 EJ by 2050, with the majority of feedstocks derived from sustainable sources such as forestry and agricultural residues, recycled organic material and other organic waste streams.
• The shift to these feedstocks is driven by regulations that differentiate feedstocks based on their life cycle emissions and provide enhanced financial support to projects with relatively low-emissions intensities.
Southeast Asia Outlook
• Southeast Asia has accounted for 11% of global energy demand growth since 2010 but is projected to contribute more than 25% of the growth over the period to 2035 in the Stated Policies Scenario (STEPS).
• Modern sustainable bioenergy improves energy access, fortifies energy security and reduces greenhouse gas emissions in Southeast Asia.
• Traditional use of biomass falls to 800 PJ by 2035 in the STEPS. In the APS, it declines even more to 470 PJ, or 6% of total bioenergy demand. Traditional biomass is substituted by modern solid bioenergy which increases by 30% to almost 4 000 PJ by 2035 in the STEPS and over 5 400 PJ in the APS, or 13% of regional energy demand, also meeting demand in the power and industry sectors.
Sustainable Biofuels Workshop
• On the 23rd of April 2024 the IEA hosted a full day workshop on sustainable biofuels, focused on three sessions: Carbon accounting of biofuels, feedstock availability and sustainable potential and new technologies.
Recent publications:
• IEA (2024), Renewables 2024
https://www.iea.org/reports/renewables-2024/renewable-fuels
• IEA (2024) Renewable Progress Tracker
https://www.iea.org/data-and-statistics/data-tools/renewable-energy-progresstracker
• IEA (2024) Towards Common Criteria for Sustainable Biofuels
https://www.iea.org/reports/towards-common-criteria-for-sustainable-fuels
• IEA (2024) Carbon Accounting for Sustainable Biofuels
https://www.iea.org/reports/carbon-accounting-for-sustainable-biofuels
• IEA (2024) World Energy Outlook 2024
https://iea.blob.core.windows.net/assets/02b65de2-1939-47ee-8e8a4f62c38c44b0/WorldEnergyOutlook2024.pdf
Contact: Jeremy Moorhouse (IEA/EMS/RED)
POLICIES FOR AGRICULTURAL INNOVATION AND SUSTAINABLE PRODUCTIVITY GROWTH
The Ministerial Declaration on Transformative Solutions for Sustainable Agriculture and Food Systems
The Declaration underlines the key role of developing transformative and innovative policies towards more sustainable and resilient agriculture and food systems. To this end, it calls OECD countries to strengthen the assessment of investments in agricultural innovation systems that offer cost-effective levers to progress towards productive, sustainable, and resilient agriculture and food systems. This will allow countries to address the triple challenge of agriculture: providing adequate, affordable, safe and nutritious food for a growing global population; providing opportunities for livelihoods all along the food value chain; and doing so while increasing the environmental sustainability of the sector.
The OECD Agro-food Productivity Sustainability Resilience policy framework
Innovation in agriculture is a key driver to improve the productivity and environmental sustainability of the sector. Innovative technologies and practices allow food systems to produce more food for a growing world population, using less resources and reducing the pressures on the environment. Innovation can make food systems more resilient to systemic shocks exacerbated by climate change, including sudden outbreaks like COVID-19 pandemic. The Agro-food Productivity-SustainabilityResilience policy framework responds to a demand from the G20 in 2012 and to the Communiques from the OECD Agricultural Ministerial meeting in 2016. It is currently a ready-to-use instrument to analyse the performance of agricultural policies from a holistic perspective and their contribution to enhance innovative outcomes.
Agriculture Innovation Systems are relevant for achieving sustainable productivity growth
OECD Trade and Agriculture Directorate (TAD) has been analysing the potential role of agricultural innovation systems and innovation policies for addressing the triple challenge. After three pilot country reviews published in 2015 (Australia, Brazil, and Canada), the framework was used in country reviews including: the Netherlands (2015), Türkiye and the United States (2016), P.R. China, Estonia, Korea and Sweden (2018), Japan, Latvia, and Argentina (2019), Norway (2021) and Viet Nam (2022). The main findings and policy recommendations from the country reviews were published in 2019 (OECD, 2019). A booklet containing an overview of the main findings and a policy brief were made available at an OECD seminar organised on 11 May 2019 before the G20 Meeting of Agricultural Ministers in Niigata, Japan. In 2023, three additional reviews were released for the Netherlands, Spain, and the European Union They contain updated information and a detailed
assessment of agricultural innovation systems and how they can work for achieving environmental sustainability. Journalists, policy makers, and researchers have expressed great interest in them.
Fostering Sustainable Productivity Growth
Sustainable Productivity Growth (SPG) will be key to overcome the triple challenge. Productivity growth makes it possible to produce more with less resources through innovations that allow a more efficient use of land, fertilisers and other inputs, opening an opportunity to increase incomes and reduce the pressure on natural resources, such as water and soils. SPG seeks to ensure that this is done sustainably contributing to food production and to viable livelihoods, limiting negative impacts on the environment.
TAD is making substantial progress towards defining, understanding and measuring SPG. The most recent developments are a conference on “Sustainable Agricultural Productivity to Address Food Systems Challenges: Measurement, Data, Drivers and Policies”, and the OECD Global Forum on Agriculture on “Steering Policies towards Sustainable Agricultural Productivity”, both taking place on October 2024, and the flagship publication Agricultural Policy Monitoring and Evaluation 2024 with a focus on “Sustainable Productivity Growth” (OECD, 2024) An environmentally sustainable productivity index (ESPI) was developed to examine sustainable productivity performance considering three environmental externalities: greenhouse gas emissions, and nitrogenand phosphorus surpluses; for 28 countries over three decades (Cobourn et al.; 2024) Additionally, recent work is starting to address social issues in agriculture in rural areas that are key for social sustainability (Asai and Antón, 2024).
Digital agriculture can help advance both environmental and social sustainability
Digitalisation offers the potential to help address the productivity, sustainability and resilience challenges facing agriculture. A literature review (McFadden et al., 2022) and an “issues note” on trust (McFadden, Casalini and Antón, 2022)address the barriers of adoption of digital agriculture in OECD countries. A recent work analyses how digital technologies affect labour, skills and farmers’ wellbeing (Campi et al., 2024). The focus on these relations is relevant because digital technologies can improve working conditions in agriculture, by reducing the need for menial tasks and physical labour, allowing for more flexible work schedules and reducing health risks, and generate new entrepreneurship opportunities in rural areas, for example, allowing for certain on-farm diversification activities, such as tourism. All these effects can make the sector increasingly attractive to younger people and for attracting new entrants into agriculture
OECD networks for advancing sustainable productivity growth and inducing innovation
Innovation can provide an opportunity to increase productivity while better managing natural resources. Public and private agricultural stakeholders have roles to play in fostering productivity and environmental sustainability. Private firms can produce improved inputs, farmers can adopt practices and invest in the latest technologies, and can governments provide resources, institutions and
incentives for all stakeholders. With the right policies, governments can create an enabling environment to optimise resource use from an economic, environmental and social perspective To broaden the understanding of innovation, sustainability, the role of different stakeholders, and the multiple interlinkages, TAD has established networks of experts from research and governments.
The Farm-Level Analysis Network (FLAN) undertakes studies and exchange of experience on the use of micro level data for policy analysis. A series of reports investigating the determinants of farm productivity and sustainability performance and dynamics, including innovation and agricultural policies have been discussed in the Network and published in the OECD Food, Agriculture and Fisheries Paper series Next FLAN meeting in December 2024 will focus on “Social sustainability: wellbeing and income in agriculture and in rural areas” and “Digital innovations for improving environmental sustainability in agricultural production and food systems”.
The Network on Agricultural Total Factor Productivity and the Environment (TFPN) is an OECD expert group sharing experiences and best practices for cross-country agricultural total factor productivity comparisons and for the measurement of sustainable productivity growth in agriculture. Thus, it is a platform to discuss challenges and opportunities of measuring the sustainable productivity growth through indicators that combine Productivity and environmental sustainability. Since 2015, the TFPN organises meetings of experts to share knowledge on the topic with participants that include researchers from the academy, and country experts and delegates.
Recent publications:
• OECD (2024), Agricultural Policy Monitoring and Evaluation 2024: Innovation for Sustainable Productivity Growth, OECD Publishing, Paris, https://doi.org/10.1787/74da57ed-en.
• Cobourn, K., et al. (2024), "An Index Theory Based Approach to Measuring the Environmentally Sustainable Productivity Performance of Agriculture", OECD Food, Agriculture and Fisheries Papers, No. 213, OECD Publishing, Paris, https://doi.org/10.1787/bf68fb78-en.
• Asai, M. and J. Antón (2024), "Social issues in agriculture in rural areas", OECD Food, Agriculture and Fisheries Papers, No. 212, OECD Publishing, Paris, https://doi.org/10.1787/fec15b38-en.
• Campi, M., et al. (2024), "The evolving profile of new entrants in agriculture and the role of digital technologies", OECD Food, Agriculture and Fisheries Papers, No. 209, OECD Publishing, Paris, https://doi.org/10.1787/d15ea067-en.
• OECD (2023), Policies for the Future of Farming and Food in the European Union, OECD Agriculture and Food Policy Reviews, OECD Publishing, Paris, https://doi.org/10.1787/32810cf6-en.
• OECD (2023), Policies for the Future of Farming and Food in Spain, OECD Agriculture and Food Policy Reviews, OECD Publishing, Paris, https://doi.org/10.1787/a93d26be-en.
• OECD (2023), Policies for the Future of Farming and Food in the Netherlands, OECD Agriculture and Food Policy Reviews, OECD Publishing, Paris, https://doi.org/10.1787/bb16dea4-en.
• Asai, M., et al. (2023), "Fostering agricultural and rural policy dialogue", OECD Food, Agriculture and Fisheries Papers, No. 197, OECD Publishing, Paris, https://doi.org/10.1787/d36fcbad-en
• Sauer, J. and J. Antón (2023), “Characterising farming resilience capacities: An example of crop farms in the United Kingdom", OECD Food, Agriculture and Fisheries Papers, No. 195, OECD Publishing, Paris,https://doi.org/10.1787/1e26883b-en.
• Bureau, J. and J. Antón (2022), "Agricultural Total Factor Productivity and the environment: A guide to emerging best practices in measurement", OECD Food, Agriculture and Fisheries Papers, No. 177, OECD Publishing, Paris, https://doi.org/10.1787/6fe2f9e0-en
• McFadden, J., et al. (2022), "The digitalisation of agriculture: A literature review and emerging policy issues", OECD Food, Agriculture and Fisheries Papers, No. 176, OECD Publishing, Paris, https://doi.org/10.1787/285cc27d-en
• McFadden, J., F. Casalini and J. Antón (2022), "Policies to bolster trust in agricultural digitalisation: Issues note", OECD Food, Agriculture and Fisheries Papers, No. 175, OECD Publishing, Paris, https://doi.org/10.1787/5a89a749-en
• OECD (2022), “Insights Into the Measurement of Agricultural Total Factor Productivity and the Environment”, https://www.oecd.org/agriculture/topics/network-agriculturalproductivity-and-environment.
• OECD (2021), “Policies for the Future of Farming and Food: How to improve productivity, sustainability and resilience?” (Booklet on PSR Policy Framework), https://issuu.com/oecd.publishing/docs/policies_for_the_future_of_farming_and_food
Website: http://www.oecd.org/agriculture/topics/agricultural-productivity-and-innovation/
Contact: Jesús Antón (TAD/ARP) and Mercedes Campi (TAD/ARP)
AGRICULTURAL SEED AND FOREST REPRODUCTIVE MATERIAL CERTIFICATION SCHEMES
The following three criteria; distinctness, uniformity and stability are used for defining crop varieties and form the basis for agricultural seed development and trade. Identification and minimum purity criteria are important components of sustainability, especially in the case of hybridisation and genetic modifications. For forest reproductive material reliability depends on several factors including identification of origin (region or provenance), selection and breeding.
The OECD Seed Schemes are a set of international standards for field inspection and certification of the most important agricultural and vegetable species. The Schemes aim to harmonise seed certification; thereby facilitating and promoting international seed trade. The eight Seed Schemes establish rules and standards for varietal inspection and certification of seeds from OECD listed varieties. Sixty-one countries are currently a member of at least one of the Schemes.
The List of Varieties Eligible for OECD Certification covers 204 species – including all major crops – and more than 73 000 varieties. OECD statistics indicate that the total weight of OECD certified seeds traded corresponded to 883 million kg in 2021/22. The electronic database provides an online search facility for OECD listed varieties and is available from the official website (see below).
In order to assess the current and future needs of international certification, the OECD Seed Schemes have established a number of Ad-Hoc Working Groups and holds regular discussions with their Technical Working Group to examine issues, explore new opportunities and develop new procedures. One of the key issues for the OECD Seed Schemes is the emerging role of biochemical and molecular techniques (BMT) in describing and identifying varieties. These issues are discussed at the Advisory Group on Biochemical and Molecular Techniques. The group plays a key role in the registration of new BMTs under the OECD Seed Schemes. The 2024 Annual Meeting held on 10-14 June 2024
approved new BMTs which are in use at least by one of the participating countries in the Seed Schemes. The Group also started discussions on how modern molecular techniques can be used for varietal purity tests. Currently the registered BMTs are only allowed for varietal identity tests but only as supplementary methods to phenotyping techniques.
International organisations such as OECD, International Union for the Protection of New Varieties of Plants (UPOV) and International Seed testing Association (ISTA) need to pursue these new techniques carefully in order to maintain the integrity of the seed sectors international regulatory framework. These organisations work in close cooperation to harmonise their work on BMTs as much as possible. Both OECD and UPOV have established their list of BMTS applied in breeding, variety testing and registration or seed certification. The organisations harmonised their approach during the formation of the lists. A joint OECD/UPOV/ISTA Workshop on the application of Biochemical and Molecular Techniques is planned to be organised in Beijing on 28 April – 1 May 2025, back-to-back with the UPOV Technical Working Party on Testing Methods and Techniques
The OECD Forest Seed and Plant Scheme encourages the production and use of forest reproductive material that has been collected, processed and marketed in a manner that ensures their trueness to name. It is currently implemented in 30 countries. The Scheme's rules were recently completed by including the "Tested" category and new types of basic materials, such as clones, clonal mixture and parents of families. Moreover, the Scheme is now adapted to deal with multifunctional forest trees.
The Scheme is exploring possible ways to adapt to and mitigate climate change. The scheme is collaborating with organisations such as Kew Gardens or EUFORGEN, to better understand and communicate the importance of the origin of forest reproductive material in afforestation reforestation and in forest tree plantations. The certification of origin is becoming more and more important as it provides information to foresters on the adaptation potential of the forest reproductive material. Some countries have introduced DNA based control systems to check the true origin (region of provenance) of the imported forest tree seeds, parts of plants or plants
The OECD Forest Seed and Plant Scheme is currently exploring the possibility of using biochemical and molecular techniques, particularly DNA based techniques in registration of basic material of forestry species under the OECD as well as the certification of origin and population of forest reproductive material
Upcoming events:
Agricultural Seed Schemes:
• Technical Working Group Meeting 22-24 January 2025, Paris France, at the OECD Headquarters.
• 2025 Annual Meeting of the OECD Seed Schemes: 10-13 June 2025, Hyderabad, India
Forest Seed and Plant Scheme:
• 2025 Annual Meeting of the National Designated Authorities: 23-24 September, OECD Headquarters
• Technical Working Group Meeting: 13-14 May 2025, Prague, Czech Republic
Recent publications:
• OECD Seed Schemes: Rules and regulations; 2024 edition Systèmes des semences de l’OCDE : Règles et directives ; édition 2024 (fr)
• List of Varieties Eligible for Seed Certification; July 2024
• OECD Forest Seed and Plant Scheme “2024” (Rules and Regulations) Système de l’OCDE pour les semences et plants forestiers “2024” (Règles et Directives)
Web sites: https://www.oecd.org/en/topics/seeds.html https://www.oecd.org/en/topics/forest-seed-and-plant.html
Promotional video on the OECD Forest Scheme: https://youtu.be/nqGXYz5Sln4 Promotional video on the OECD Seed Schemes: https://youtu.be/o36HW3xd9wk?si=pypSPpivLvCzQZQY
Contact: Csaba Gaspar (TAD/COD)
CO-OPERATIVE RESEARCH PROGRAMME: SUSTAINABLE AGRICULTURAL AND FOOD SYSTEMS
The OECD Co-operative Research Programme: Sustainable Agricultural and Food Systems (CRP), which gathers 30 OECD countries, is based on the observation that multi-disciplinary agri-food research is needed to address the gaps in knowledge, deepen understanding and enhance the scientific base of policy. The objectives of the CRP are the following: to provide a sound scientific knowledge base to agricultural policy-making; to contribute to an informed public debate on current and emerging agro-food issues and help resolve conflicting views; and to promote scientific understanding and standards between major regions of OECD. A food systems approach to policy analysis to tackle the “triple challenge” of providing food security and nutrition, and ensuring livelihoods while using natural resources sustainably is in line with the declaration adopted by Agriculture Ministers in 2016 and in 2022 and the work of the Committee for Agriculture. It is also fully aligned with OECD strategic objectives in relation to the need for integrated interdisciplinary approaches in obtaining sustainable solutions. Whilst not specifically mentioned in the title of the Programme, the CRP’s mandate also includes fisheries and forestry research.
Operational features of the Programme involve supporting and promoting international cooperation and networking in the field of basic and applied research. It awards fellowships to scientists from a CRP participating country to conduct research projects in another CRP participating country, and supports financially workshops to address agro-food issues that are high on the science/policy agenda of Members. The CRP strategy emphasises the need to engage a range of scientific disciplines including the natural sciences, social sciences and the humanities in an interactive dialogue. The CRP has three pillars, or research themes, as depicted below:
The Co-operative Research Programme’s Call for applications for funding in 2025 is closed. The outcome of the selection will be communicated to the applicants in January 2025 at the latest.
The next call, for funding in 2026, will open in April 2025.
By funding events and individual fellowships, the Co-operative Research Programme aims to strengthen scientific knowledge and provide scientific information to feed future policy decisions related to the sustainable use of natural resources, in food, agriculture, forests and fisheries.
CRP (Co-)Sponsored Events (Conferences and Workshops) taking place in 2024:
• 8th European Veterinary Immunology Workshop (EVIW 2024) | Dublin, Ireland, 4-6 September 2024
• Fertilizers from waste: Recovering and reusing nutrients via circular processing of agricultural residues | Lincoln, USA, 10-12 September 2024
• Comparative agroecology: a paradigm to upscale climate-smart food and water system transformations? | Alnarp, Sweden, 25-27 September 2024
• ISMOM Soil organics | Tsukuba, Japan, 14-18 October 2024
• Antimicrobial resistance and wastewater reuse in agriculture | Dijon, France, 22-24 October 2024
• Measuring agricultural sustainable productivity: data, methods, practices and policies | OECD, Paris, France, 28 October 2024
• Bridging selective breeding and cutting-edge biotechnologies: transformative technological innovations for strengthening aquaculture resilience | Tokyo, Japan, 28-30 October 2024
• OECD workshop on critical innovations in pesticides safety testing and chemical risk assessment, for developmental neurotoxicity (DNT) | OECD, Paris, France, 28-30 October 2024
Information about these are posted on the CRP website
CRP Fellowships in 2024:
Theme 1 on Managing natural capital
• A multidimensional assessment of insects for sustainable agri-food systems
• Bridging current knowledge gaps to identify the metrics that best support sustainability in agroecosystems
• Ecosystem services and biodiversity conservation in cultural landscapes of temperate mountain regions
• Engineering climate resilience in mussel aquaculture
• The implementation of green chemistry applications to enhance the efficiency of food safety sample throughput
• Managing the risk of soil phosphorus to the environment and food production
• Modelling complex socio-ecosystems for the conservation of marine ecosystem services: a transcontinental connection between Australia and Spain
• New ecological analysis and synthesis of the Guadalquivir LTER (1997-2023): lessons from NCEAS and US-LTER.
• Progressing access to healthy, sustainable and local fresh food for Quebec remote areas through public procurement. Lessons from France
Theme 2 on Strengthening resilience in the face of multiple risks in a connected world
• Emerging Phytophthora diseases that threaten Irish crop and forest ecosystems
• Reinforcing Climate Risk Management from Farmers’ Behavior and User-Driven Indicators (FRISBE)
• Solving the root dilemma in saline soils: evaluating root responses under combined salinity stress and phosphorus deficiency
• The effect of dietary bioactives from sustainable food systems on gut microbiome diversity and metabolic profile
Theme 3 on Transformational technologies and innovation
• Bringing aquaculture into the circular bioeconomy: optimising production efficiencies in aquaponics
• Challenges and opportunities for privatised agricultural advice in the AKIS – a case study from the UK
• Evaluating the effectiveness of different bio-based sensors from food industry secondary streams in smart biodegradable packaging
• Sustainable conversion potential of wet agri-food wastes to intermediate energy carriers and its influencing factors
• Sustainable plant-based solutions for gel-type dairy alternative products
• The social ecological-resilience of mid-scale farming systems in mountain and hill country areas
Brief descriptions of these fellowships are posted on the CRP website
Recent publications and papers:
• De la Fuente L. et al. (2023), Phytopathology, Vol. 113, N°6, “Two Xylella fastidiosa subsp. multiplex strains isolated from almond in Spain differ in plasmid content and virulence traits”, APS; https://doi.org/10.1094/PHYTO-06-22-0234-R
• De la Fuente L. et al. (2023), Phytopathology, Vol. 113, N°6, “Complete circularized genome resources of seven strains of Xylella fastidiosa subsp. fastidiosa using hybrid assembly reveals unknown plasmids”, APS; https://doi.org/10.1094/PHYTO-10-22-0396-A
• Gedeon C. et al. (2023), Applied Soil Ecology, Vol. 188, 104878, “Predicting microbial responses to changes in soil physical and chemical properties under different land management”, Elsevier; https://doi.org/10.1016/j.apsoil.2023.104878
• Kelling I., M. Carrigan and A. F. Johnson (2023), Food Security, “Transforming the seafood supply system: challenges and strategies for resilience”, Springer; https://doi.org/10.1007/s12571-023-01400-5
• Reyes F., A. Sofo et al. (2023), Journal of Soil Science and Plant Nutrition, 23, 4078–4090, “Plant growth and root morphology are affected by earthworm-driven (Eisenia sp.) Changes in soil chemico-physical properties: a mesocosm experiment with broccoli and faba bean”, Springer Link; https://doi.org/10.1007/s42729-023-01325-0
• Rossignaud, L., D. Kelly, E. B. Spurr, D. J. Flaspohler, R. B. Allen and E. G. Brockerhoff (2022), Avian Conservation and Ecology, 17(2):4 “Trends in bird counts 1978–2020 in a New Zealand Nothofagus forest with variable control of mammalian predators”, The Resilience Alliance; https://doi.org/10.5751/ACE-02176-170204
Note: The call for the submission of applications for 2026 research fellowship awards and event sponsorship will open in April 2025
All relevant information and application forms will be available on the CRP website, through the link: oe.cd/agriculture-crp (former URL: www.oecd.org/agriculture/crp)
Website: oe.cd/agriculture-crp
Contacts: Marie Russel (TAD/PROG), Lee Ann Jackson (TAD/ATM)
UPCOMING OECD EVENTS IN BIOTECHNOLOGY 2025
22-24 January 2025
25-28 February 2025
24-26 March 2025
26-28 March 2025
April 2025
13-14 May 2025
10-13 June 2025
23-24 September 2025
OECD Agricultural Seed Schemes: Technical Working Group Meeting, OECD Paris (Contact: C. Gaspar, TAD/COD)
40th Meeting of the Working Party on Pesticides, OECD Paris (Contact: J. Richardson, ENV/EHS)
39th Meeting of the Working Party on the Harmonisation of Regulatory Oversight in Biotechnology, OECD Paris (Contact: S. Nakano, ENV/EHS)
32nd Meeting of the Working Party for the Safety of Novel Foods & Feeds, OECD Paris (Contact: S. Nakano, ENV/EHS)
10th Meeting of the Total Factor Productivity and the Environment Network (TFPN) (Contact: J Antón, M Campi, TAD/ARP)
OECD Forest Seed and Plant Scheme: Technical Working Group Meeting, Prague, Czech Republic (Contact: C. Gaspar, TAD/COD)
OECD Agricultural Seed Schemes: Annual Meeting, Hyderabad, India (Contact: C. Gaspar, TAD/COD)
OECD Forest Seed and Plant Scheme: Annual Meeting of the National Designated Authorities, OECD Paris (Contact: C. Gaspar, TAD/COD)
WHO’S WHO IN BIOTECH AT OECD?
Jane RICHARDSON (ENV/EHS)
Executive Secretary to the ICGB; Head of Harmonisation of Regulatory Oversight in Biotechnology (Biosafety) and Novel Food & Feed Safety and Pesticides programmes, jane.richardson@oecd.org
Jesús ANTÓN (TAD/ARP)
Senior Agricultural Policy Analyst jesus.anton@oecd.org
Cesar BARRAZA-BOTET (STI/STP)
Economist/Policy Analyst cesar.barraza-botet@oecd.org
Enrico BOTTA (ENV/GGGR)
Green Growth and GGKP enrico.botta@oecd.org
Mercedes CAMPI (TAD/ARP)
Agricultural Policy Analyst mercedes.campi@oecd.org
Ester CARREGAL ROMERO (ENV/EHS)
Junior Policy Analyst ester.carregalromero@oecd.org
Koen DECONINCK (TAD/ATM)
Agricultural Policy Analyst koen.deconinck@oecd.org
Annelies DEUSS (TAD/ATM)
AMIS policy database annelies.deuss@oecd.org
Csaba GASPAR (TAD/COD)
OECD Forest Seed and Plant Scheme, OECD Seed Schemes csaba.gaspar@oecd.org
Guillaume GRUÈRE (TAD/ARP)
Acting Head of Agricultural and Resource Policies Division guillaume.gruere@oecd.org
Ben HENDERSON (ENV)
Senior Policy Analyst and Team Lead, Horizontal Initiatives ben.henderson@oecd.org
Lee Ann JACKSON (TAD/ATM)
Head of Division, Agro-food Trade and Markets leeann.jackson@oecd.org
Katia KAROUSAKIS (ENV/ETR)
Biodiversity Economics and Policy katia.karousakis@oecd.org
Kumi KITAMORI (ENV)
Deputy Director of Environment kumi.kitamori@oecd.org
Laura KREILING (STI/STP)
Junior Policy Analyst, Secretariat WP Innovation and Technology Policy laura.kreiling@oecd.org
Jeremy MOORHOUSE (IEA/EMS/RED)
Energy Analyst - Renewable Energy & Bioenergy Markets jeremy.moorhouse@iea.org
Daniel NADAL (STI/STP)
Junior Economist/Policy Analyst daniel.nadal@oecd.org
Satoshi NAKANO (ENV/EHS)
Policy analyst, Biosafety and Biotechnology satoshi.nakano@oecd.org
Edward PERRY (ENV/CBW)
Biodiversity, Land Use and Ecosystems edward.perry@oecd.org
Douglas ROBINSON (STI/STP)
Policy Advisor, Bio, Nano, and Converging Technologies douglas.robinson@oecd.org
Marie RUSSEL (TAD/PROG)
Cooperative Research Programme: Sustainable Agricultural and Food Systems marie.russel@oecd.org
Magda SACHANA (ENV/EHS)
Policy Analyst, Pesticides, Hazard Assessment magdalini.sachana@oecd.org
Brigitte VAN BEUZEKOM (STI/STP)
Biotechnology Statistics, Nanotechnology Statistics brigitte.vanbeuzekom@oecd.org
Martin VON LAMPE (TAD/ARP)
Agricultural Policies (incl. bioenergy) martin.vonlampe@oecd.org
David WINICKOFF (STI/STP)
Senior Policy Analyst - Secretariat WP Biotechnology, Nanotechnology and Converging Technologies david.winickoff@oecd.org
Visit the OECD BioTrack website to access the latest news and previous editions.
You can also sign up to the OECD Biotechnology Update newsletter to receive future editions directly to your inbox.
ENDNOTE: A BRIEF GUIDE TO THE OECD
The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) is an intergovernmental organisation with 38 member countries1. The mission of the OECD is to promote policies that will improve the economic and social well-being of people around the world. OECD brings together the governments of countries committed to democracy and the market economy to support economic growth, boost employment, raise living standards, maintain financial stability, assist other countries’ economic development, and contribute to growth in world trade.
The Organisation provides a setting where governments compare policy experiences, seek answers to common problems, and identify better policies for better lives. An increasing number of nonmember economies participate in a wide range of activities, including some of those related to biotechnology.
The Council of OECD is the highest decision-making body of the Organisation. Its members are the Ambassadors of the Member countries to the OECD. It is chaired by OECD’s Secretary-General. Once a year, it also meets at the level of Ministers from member countries. The Council decides on the annual budget of the Organisation as well as the content of the programme of work.
In addition to the Council, there are more than 300 committees, experts and working groups, which undertake the Organisation’s programme of work. The governments of the Member countries nominate the participants to all these groups.
1 OECD Member countries are: Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Czechia, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Japan, Korea, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Mexico, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Poland, Portugal, the Slovak Republic, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Republic of Türkiye, the United Kingdom and the United States. The European Commission also takes part in the work of the OECD.
