20141120 Socio-economic aspects in sustainability standards - GMO workshop COGEM

International workshop on a socio-economic assessment framework for GMOs | Triple Ace WTC Amsterdam | 20 November 2014

Socio-economic aspects in standards

on sustainability of biomass

Jarno Dakhorst, NEN Energy

Outline

• Introduction into standardization

• Standards on sustainability of biomass

• Sustainability and GMOs

• Socio-economic aspects

• GMOs in socio-economic perspective in (sustainability)

standards

2 International workshop on a socio-economic assessment framework for GMOs | Triple Ace WTC Amsterdam | 20 November 2014

Introduction into standardization (1)

Standards…

• … are documents with agreements on products,

services and systems

• ... are designed for voluntary use

• ... contribute to:

– (inter)national strength of competition

– innovation

– health, safety and environment

– image

• ... are in accordance with WTO



4

Overcoming trade barriers

Vision ISO/TC 67 (oil & gas):

Global standards used locally worldwide



Standardization …

• … is an open process => all parties concerned

invited to participate for broad support

• … is developing agreements based on consensus

=> no sustained opposition

• … is transparent => agreements are publicly

available for comments and use

• … takes place on three levels:

– national (e.g. NEN, DIN)

– regional (e.g. CEN, GSO)

– international (e.g. ISO, IEC)


Standards on sustainability of biomass (1)

• NTA 8080:2009, Sustainability criteria for biomass for energy

purposes [based on “Cramer criteria”]

• Draft NTA 8080:2014, Sustainably produced biomass for

bioenergy and biobased products

• Part 1: Sustainability requirements

• Part 2: Chain-of-custody requirements

• Intended to be applicable worldwide

• Certification system recognized by EC

for demonstrating RED compliance

• Linked with European (CEN) and international (ISO)

standardization


7

Standards on sustainability of biomass (2)

But many other sustainability initiatives in the market


Sustainability and GMOs (1)

• Most of sustainability initiatives are “GMO neutral” –

they neither stimulate use of GMOs nor ban use of

GMOs

• Only a view sustainability initiatives address

separate supply chains for GMO free products

• GMOs, if considered in sustainability initiatives, are

mainly linked to biodiversity aspects – invasion of

alien species


Sustainability and GMOs (2)

Example draft NTA 8080-1:2014

alien species

a species that does not naturally occur in the area in question

Note 1 to entry: Genetically modified crops are also considered to be

alien species.

6.4.2.2 The organisation shall take measures that are

necessary in order to:

d) ensure that it is prevented that the environment is

disturbed by invading alien species (including genetically

modified crops) by: […]


Socio-economic aspects (1)

• Socio-economic aspects relate to pillars people and

profit

• Strong link with:

• ILO conventions [ILO = International Labour Organization]

• Universal Declaration of Human Rights

• UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples

• SA8000 on social accounting

• …

• Considered a bigger issue in developing countries

than developed countries



• Labour conditions:

• Working hours and overtime

• Wages and insurances

• Training and education

• Safety of machineries & personal protection equipment

• Forced or compulsory labour & child labour

• Bargaining rights

• Non-discrimination

[topics not exhaustive and may differ amongst sustainability initiatives]



• Land use rights:

• Free, prior and informed consent for right to use and/or

manage land

• Respecting HCV areas

• Compensation of local population

• Business practices:

• Anti-corruption

• Non-fraudulent behaviour

• Financial risk management




• Competition:

• Food security

• Water availability

• Other applications of raw materials (e.g. building, medicines)

• Contribution to local population:

• Employment of local people, also in top management

• Involvement of local suppliers

• Mitigate negative and promote positive impacts of activities




Assessing socio-economic aspects:

• Analysing legislation and degree of compliance

• Checking possibility to react during permitting

procedure

• Consulting stakeholders

• Interviewing employees

• Reviewing documents



However, assessments not always easy:

• Availability and reliability of information

• Cooperation of employees and local population

• Linking impacts to activities of economic operator


GMOs in socio-economic perspective in

(sustainability) standards (1)

Starting point:

• Defining and measuring “sustainability” is challenging

• Use of GMOs has pros and cons and with that strong

proponents and opponents


GMOs in socio-economic perspective in

(sustainability) standards (2)

Questions:

• Is there a need to consider use of GMOs (as biomass

feedstock) as socio-economic aspect in sustainability

standards?

• Can standardization in general be an instrument to

address GMOs (e.g. best practices, risk management)?


Considerations

Thank you for you attention!

Any questions?

Contact details

E [email protected]

T +31 15 2 690 245

M +31 6 33 334 671


Draft NTA 8080-1 and NTA 8080-2 now

available for comments (till 5 January 2015)

Documents

20141120 Socio-economic aspects in sustainability standards - GMO workshop COGEM