Proposed Definition of Environmental Damage Illustrated by the Cases of Genetically Modified Crops and Invasive Species
Proposed Definition of Environmental Damage Illustrated by the Cases of Genetically Modified Crops and Invasive Species
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DOI：
10.1111/j.1523-1739.2009.01385.x
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发表时间：
2010-06-01
影响因子：
6.3
通讯作者：
Kowarik, Ingo
中科院分区：
文献类型：
--
作者：
Bartz, Robert;Heink, Ulrich;Kowarik, Ingo
外来植物物种的引进和转基因作物的释放可引起从基因到生态系统层面的环境变化。诸如《生物多样性公约》或《欧盟故意释放指令》等监管框架旨在防止环境破坏，但没有定义这个术语。虽然生态学家和自然资源保护主义者经常把转基因作物或入侵物种的环境影响称为损害，但大多数作者没有披露他们的规范性假设，也没有解释为什么有些环境影响被认为是有害的，而另一些则不是。到目前为止，缺乏对环境损害的简明定义，这是透明评估环境影响或风险所必需的。因此，我们建议将环境损害定义为对生物或非生物保护资源（即受保护或环境立法保护的生物或非生物自然资源）的重大不利影响，并对保护资源的价值、作为生态系统组成部分的保护资源或保护资源的可持续利用产生影响。这一定义依赖于三个规范性假设：只有对保护资源的具体影响才能构成损害；只有导致保育资源价值下降的不利影响才算损害；只有重大的不利影响才构成对保护资源的破坏。在环境风险评估的框架内应用这一定义需要进一步的规范性决定，例如，选择一个阈值来区分不利和重大不利影响，以及评估养护资源的环境价值的方法。然而，这种判定不属于环境损害定义的一部分。相反，它们是通过评估程序实施定义的一部分，评估程序必须以可理解的环境损害定义为基础。
The introduction of non-native plant species and the release of genetically modified (GM) crops can induce environmental changes at gene to ecosystem levels. Regulatory frameworks such as the Convention on Biological Diversity or the EU Deliberate Release Directive aim to prevent environmental damage but do not define the term. Although ecologists and conservationists often refer to environmental effects of GM crops or invasive species as damage, most authors do not disclose their normative assumptions or explain why some environmental impacts are regarded as detrimental and others are not. Thus far, a concise definition of environmental damage is missing and is necessary for a transparent assessment of environmental effects or risks. Therefore, we suggest defining environmental damage as a significant adverse effect on a biotic or abiotic conservation resource (i.e., a biotic or abiotic natural resource that is protected by conservational or environmental legislation) that has an impact on the value of the conservation resource, the conservation resource as an ecosystem component, or the sustainable use of the conservation resource. This definition relies on three normative assumptions: only concrete effects on a conservation resource can be damages; only adverse effects that lead to a decrease in the value of the conservation resource can be damages; and only significant adverse effects constitute damage to a conservation resource. Applying this definition within the framework of environmental risk assessment requires further normative determinations, for example, selection of a threshold to distinguish between adverse and significant adverse effects and approaches for assessing the environmental value of conservation resources. Such determinations, however, are not part of the definition of environmental damage. Rather they are part of the definition's operationalization through assessment procedures, which must be grounded in a comprehensible definition of environmental damage.