[E-rundbrief] Info 260 - Nanotechnology and NanoGeoPolitics

Matthias Reichl mareichl at ping.at
Fr Jul 29 00:39:11 CEST 2005


E-Rundbrief - Info 260 - ETC-Group: Press release on Nanotechnology and 
NanoGeoPolitics at the G8-Summit. Civil society proposal to create a UN 
International Convention for the Evaluation of New Technologies (ICENT). 
Strategies against New Nano Economic Order. ETC-Brochure on Nanotechnology. 
Additional Informations see also E-Rundbrief-Infos 198, 216 and 250!

Bad Ischl, 29.7.2005

Begegnungszentrum für aktive Gewaltlosigkeit

www.begegnungszentrum.at

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Nanotechnology and NanoGeoPolitics at the G8-Summit

Thursday, 28 July 2005

News Release

www.etcgroup.org

ETC Group today releases a new 48-page report on the geopolitics of 
nanotechnology. NanoGeoPolitics, offers an in-depth survey of the current 
state of nanotechnology policy debates ranging from regulatory initiatives 
to social dialogues and from G8 statements to CSO activism (civil society). 
ETC describes three main approaches being adopted by nano players: the 
so-called optimists, realists, and skeptics. Seven current issues/areas of 
rapid change and ample controversy are also discussed, including efforts to 
develop nanotech standards, safety protocols, the role of nano-ethicists 
and public relations firms, and more. In conclusion, ETC Group puts forward 
a civil society proposal to create a UN International Convention for the 
Evaluation of New Technologies (ICENT).

The full text of the 48-page report, with original cartoons by Reymond 
Page, is available on the ETC Group website in PDF format: www.etcgroup.org

Summary:

At the Gleneagles Summit earlier this month, the G(whiz)8 saw 'More 
Science' as the South's solution to poverty and global warming. Behind the 
scenes, the leading nano nations are rushing to set the rules for global 
nanotechnology governance.

Issue: Fearful that nanotech may face the same fate as biotech crops, the 
G8 used their Gleneagles summit to promote "new technologies" (including 
nanotech and biotech) as the magic bullet to "make poverty history" and to 
neutralize global warming. By hinting at the possibility of  billions for 
science capacity-building in the South, the North hopes to make allies of 
South governments, scientists, development NGOs, and environmentalists. 
Meanwhile, the real action is behind the scenes where various 
government/industry and scientific institutions are rushing to negotiate 
what the EU hopes will become a nanotech "code of conduct"(but, in light of 
US opposition may turn into a "framework of shared principles") and lay 
down the global standards, regulations, and market modus operandi for the 
greatest industrial revolution society has ever (not) seen coming. Social 
policy is being replaced by science policy. In this Communique, ETC Group 
reviews the emerging nanogeopolitics landscape.

Impact: According to industry, nanotechnology will contribute to a 
commercial market exceeding $1 trillion by 2011 and $2.6 trillion (15% of 
global manufacturing output) by 2014 - 10 times biotech and equaling the 
combined informatics and telecom industries. OECD countries - convinced 
that technological convergence at the nano-scale is the "future" - are in 
an all-out race to secure economic advantage: health and environmental 
considerations are secondary; socioeconomic impacts will have to wait; 
regulations, if they can't be avoided, must be voluntary to keep the train 
speeding from lab to marketplace on track. By some industry estimates, the 
die will have been cast for the strategic shape of a New Nano Economic 
Order within the next 12 to 24 months.

Fora: In keeping with the G8's pro-poor science push, the European 
Commission in Brussels hosted a second meeting to consider a draft Code of 
Conduct / Framework of Shared Principles for nanotechnology. In march-step, 
the OECD is conducting meetings in Paris to hammer out a global regulatory 
approach to address nano's unresolved (and increasingly worrisome) health 
and environmental issues. Only the Macro-South  (i.e., Brazil, China, 
India, Korea, Singapore, South Africa, Argentina, Mexico, etc.) usually 
attend these closed-door nano policy-setting meetings. To date, the UN and 
its specialized agencies have been sidelined. If all South governments hope 
to have a say in this technological upheaval, the role of converging 
technologies should be discussed during the Millennium Development Goals 
Assessment in New York Sept. 14-16 and by each of the specialized UN 
agencies as soon as possible.

Policies: With public confidence in both private and government science at 
an all-time low, full societal dialogue on nano-scale technological 
convergence is critical. It is not for scientists to "educate" the public 
but for society to determine the goals and processes for the technologies 
they finance. There is no need for a sui generis (and inevitably voluntary) 
code of conduct for nanotech, but there is need for a much broader and 
legally-binding International Convention for the Evaluation of New 
Technologies (ICENT). South governments negotiating commodity and 
manufacturing trade-offs at the WTO Ministerial in Hong Kong in December 
will be asked to give away sovereignty in exchange for market access for 
raw materials or finished goods that may quickly become irrelevant with 
nanotechnology's development.

For more information:

Pat Mooney:  etc at etcgroup.org   Ottawa, ON (Canada) +1 613 241-2267
Hope Shand: hope at etcgroup.org  Carrboro, NC (USA)  +1 919 960-5767
Kathy Jo Wetter: kjo at etcgroup.org  Carrboro, NC (USA) +1 919 960-5223
Silvia Ribeiro: silvia at etcgroup.org  Mexico City (Mexico) +52 5555 6326 64

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    Matthias Reichl, Pressesprecher/ press speaker,
     Begegnungszentrum fuer aktive Gewaltlosigkeit
     Center for Encounter and active Non-Violence
     Wolfgangerstr. 26, A-4820 Bad Ischl, Austria,
     fon: +43 6132 24590, Informationen/ informations,
     Impressum in: http://www.begegnungszentrum.at
Spenden-Konto Nr. 0600-970305 (Blz. 20314) Sparkasse Bad Ischl, 
Geschäftsstelle Pfandl
IBAN: AT922031400600970305    BIC: SKBIAT21XXX




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