FEBUAsiTUREnEss sTRATEgy
many parallels, to the recent five-year long concern, with the hope of achieving a consensus
About the author debate on use and regulation of GMOs. for early action on problematic chemicals that
David Bowe is a former have good data sets.
member of the European
The level of threat is generally designed to
Parliament, having
escalate through the campaign. It begins by Industry groups have so far been unwilling to
represented several UK
sending out the message that the targeted recognise the benefits of ‘early mover’ action. But
constituencies for the
activity/product is bad, unnecessary and that early action taken on a voluntary basis, after a
British Labour Party
perhaps you are a bad person if you buy it, use process of building a consensus has the capacity
David Bowe
from 1989 to July 2004.
it, or support its continuing existence. to strongly influence legislation. The lesson
During his term of office in the European
coming from the work - aimed at drawing up a
Parliament, David Bowe was a full member
Gradually during the campaign, the threat is priority list of dangerous chemicals - carried out in
of the Committee on Environment, Public
escalated in the message (especially if the first the UK, and elsewhere, is quite clear: “Inaction is
Health & Consumer Policy, as well as a
level of threat has not had sufficient impact upon not an option”.
substitute member of the parliament’s
public opinion). The message is reinforced to say
Committee on Industry, External Trade,
that these products are unnatural and therefore The scientific fight-back
Research and Energy. As a result, Bowe
was one of the most experienced European
immoral and unethical or more bluntly ‘against Engaging and influencing key stakeholders and
politicians on environmental policy and
the will of god’. Thereby, giving the campaigners decision-makers through a variety of consensus-
took the lead on several high-profile
an undeserved moral righteousness and putting building groups is a key part of a pro-science
environmental issues.
even more pressure on their opponents. strategy.
In addition, during his 15 years in the
European Parliament, he acted as the Labour
The final level of threat that is usually only used It is essential to make early contact with decision-
Party and UK government spokesperson on
as a last resort (guaranteed to scare/disturb) makers on the issue with a positive and forward-
Environment, Health and Consumer Affairs,
is that these products/activities are going to thinking attitude, admitting any previous errors
and as the ‘link person’ with DEFRA. He
destroy the next generation (ie, they are going and seeking to address outstanding problems
has also gained industrial experience in the to kill or damage your children). This escalation and move the legislative situation forward in a
chemicals sector. in the levels of threat in the Greens’ campaign positive way.
Bowe started his professional career as messages can be found at the core of all the
a secondary school science teacher and
campaigns they have run over the last two Have some positive proposals for change/action
holds a BSc. He is now working as a public
decades. that you can justify with simple clear arguments
affairs consultant and an associate of G-Plus
based on demonstrable scientific facts promoted
Europe, a consultancy specialising in EU
It is interesting to note that in the campaign with simple clear literature. It is important to
political strategy, policy development and
against chemicals, the green campaigners have avoid sweeping generalisations on chemicals, ie,
public relations, with offices in London and
resorted to using the highest level of threat they are not natural! They are dangerous! They
Brussels.
at the start of the campaign by publishing are all toxic and bio-accumulate! Instead focus in
pictures of human foetuses in several national on individual chemicals from a non-complex, but
countries (see Figure 1). The major green NGOs newspapers, for instance, alleging they are scientific point of view.
– Greenpeace, Friends of the Earth, and the WWF facing damage by chemicals in the environment.
(World Wide Fund for Nature) – have the capacity While, later in the campaign in the same vein, Do not make this your final agenda, be prepared
in terms of finance and human resources to run they produced a poster depicting the European to listen and adopt views proposed by others who
Europe-wide, far-reaching campaigns on their Commission’s president, Manuel Barroso, you engage in forming a consensus. Welcome
chosen target issues. and vice-president, Commissioner Günter and encourage the involvement of other
Verheugen,feeding a new born baby a toxic green stakeholders who share at least in part, your point
An examination of their websites reveals that substance. of view, or who give credible and independent
the vast majority of their funding comes from supportive views,eg, user groups of chemicals
public sources: the European Commission, trusts, Kicking off their campaign at the highest threat and products; trades unions; recognised, scientific,
and public donations. Although some will work level, as per the previous example, was an academics and/or institutions.
on joint projects with business, (Greenpeace indication that the Greens realised that the
and WWF; and others will even accept corporate general public was not receptive to their usual I particularly want to stress the role of individual
donations – the WWF), by working in coalition and strategy of commencing with lower threat levels. companies in connecting and engaging with these
through a network of organisations in 40 different It also reflected an acknowledgement by the groups (particularly politicians, trades unions
countries they can bring to bear considerable public that chemicals and chemical-based products and local authorities). Full-time professional
campaigning forces. make much of modern living and technological lobbyists are more distant, less credible and
progress possible. (An opinion which they never effective in generating sympathy and support
Scare tactics held about GMOs and the biotech industry). than local companies who provide jobs and
As the chemicals’ debate has unfolded, those economic benefit to local communities. They
groups demanding punitive action on chemicals, Pro-science campaigners must learn the need for should also have existing relationships with the
have played on the theme of ‘You fear what you pre-emptive and effective rebuttal. It is important decision-makers in local communities where their
don’t understand’, a strategy similar, and with to take initiatives on chemicals of particular production facilities are based.
32 May 2007 • www.agrowmag.com
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