Preface -- Introduction -- 1. Everyone everywhere is better off today! -- 2. A happy home is the foundation of the state -- 3. Our country isn't working -- 4. There was a time when New Zealand cities were safe and clean -- 5. Iwi / Kiwi -- 6. Free entry for snoopers -- 7. You don't send a boy on a man's errand -- 8. This one's about trust -- Epilogue: If things are going so well, why are so many people mising out? -- Timeline.
AbstractMisinformation has always existed, but it became a major preoccupation during the COVID-19 pandemic due to its ability to affect public health choices, decisions, and policy. In their article, "Misinformation in the media: Global coverage of GMOs 2019–2021" (GM Crops & Food, 17 Nov 2022), Mark Lynas et al. characterise critics of agricultural genetically modified organisms (GMOs) and their associated pesticides as purveyors of "misinformation". They draw an equivalence between critics of agricultural GMOs and people who make false claims about climate change, COVID-19, and vaccines. We examined their main claims on these GMOs—for example, that there is a scientific consensus that they are safe for health and the environment—in the light of the scientific evidence and public discussion on this topic. We found that their claims are biased and misleading and ignore or omit crucial evidence. We conclude that based on the evidence provided, Lynas et al. article can itself be classed as misinformation and could therefore mislead the general public as well as the scientific community.
A democratic deliberation panel of veterans providing insight into veteran perspectives on resource allocation and the Veterans Choice Act showed the importance and feasibility of engaging veterans in the policy-making process.
The regulation of pesticides in the European Union (EU) relies on a network of hard law (legislation and implementing acts) and soft law (non-legally binding guidance documents and administrative and scientific practices). Both hard and soft laws govern how risk assessments are conducted, but a significant role is left to the latter. Europe's pesticide regulation is one of the most stringent in the world. Its stated objectives are to ensure an independent, objective and transparent assessment of pesticides and achieve a high level of protection for health and environment. However, a growing body of evidence shows that pesticides that have passed through this process and are authorised for use may harm humans, animals and the environment. The authors of the current paper – experts in toxicology, law and policy – identified shortcomings in the authorisation process, focusing on the EU assessment of the pesticide active substance glyphosate. The shortcomings mostly consist of failures to implement the hard or soft laws. But in some instances the law itself is responsible, as some provisions can only fail to achieve its objectives. Ways to improve the system are proposed, requiring changes in hard and soft laws as well as in administrative and scientific practices.
The White Paper presented here is a consensus document produced by a group of 24 experts from non-governmental organisations, academia, and regulatory science, working in the field of pesticides, risk assessment, law, and human and environmental health. It identifies a range of shortfalls in the safety assessment of pesticides in Europe that result in the unrestricted use of potentially dangerous substances in agricultural fields and open spaces. The White Paper is intended to provide expert input into the ongoing evaluation of the EU legislation on pesticides, proposes 18 concrete solutions on how to improve the risk assessment and risk management of pesticides in Europe, in line with the requirements of EU law. It supports the implementation of a higher level of protection from pesticides in Europe, as the EU law demands. Ultimately, it aims to promote the development and implementation of sustainable, non-chemical pest management practices in our food production system. ; The White Paper was developed by members of the coalition Citizens for Science in Pesticide Regulation, in an initiative of Pesticide Action Network Europe. The development process was initiated by the authors during a workshop held in Brussels in April 2018. Based on this work, a manifesto was produced which calls for "rigorous science, safe food and healthy environment" through reform of the pesticide risk assessment process. As of 18 January 2019 the manifesto had gathered more than 130 civil society and institutional supporters. More information about Citizens for Science in Pesticide Regulation and its activities can be found here: https://citizens4pesticidereform.eu/
