How to keep out what we don't want: an assessment of `Sozialverträglichkeit' under the Austrian Genetic Engineering Act

1997 ◽  
Vol 6 (4) ◽  
pp. 301-327 ◽  
Author(s):  
Franz Seifert ◽  
Helge Torgersen
Keyword(s):  
Decision Making ◽  
Genetic Engineering ◽  
Fundamental Problem ◽  
National Level ◽  
Predictive Ability ◽  
Complex Problem ◽  
Genetically Engineered ◽  
Risk Society ◽  
Decision Making Process ◽  
Genetically Engineered Organisms

National regulations for new science and engineering projects are often drawn up on foundations that refer to the current `state of the art'. However, this approach suffers from the fundamental problem, among others, that science progresses quickly, and models for the development of science have only limited predictive ability. Assessing the risk associated with a project therefore becomes a complex problem; and so non-scientific criteria can not be excluded from the decision-making process. An example of such non-technical criteria can be found in Austrian regulations on genetic engineering where: `products containing or consisting of genetically engineered organisms must not create any “ Soziale Unverträglichkeit” [social unsustainability], no `unbalanced burden on society or social groups' that is unacceptable for economic, social or moral reasons.' The aim of this paper is to investigate the implications of this provision. The paper begins with a discussion of the fundamental issues of regulating genetic engineering at a national level, then examines the evolution of the Austrian Genetic Engineering Act, and critically assesses the term ` Sozialverträglichkeit'. Having examined various mechanisms whereby non-scientific criteria can be included in the decision-making process, the paper argues that Sozialverträglichkeit can be interpreted as a constructive answer to the problems of a risk society.

scholarly journals NECESSITY OF MAPPING AND ASSESSMENT OF ECOSYSTEMS AND THEIR SERVICES IN PLANNING AND DECISION MAKING PROCESS

2016 ◽  
Vol 4 ◽  
pp. 234
Author(s):  
Līga Brūniņa ◽  
Elīna Konstantinova ◽  
Aija Peršēvica
Keyword(s):  
Decision Making ◽  
Ecosystem Services ◽  
Development Process ◽  
Economic Value ◽  
National Level ◽  
Decision Making Process ◽  
Integrate Assessment ◽  
Reporting Systems ◽  
Potential Benefits ◽  
The Eu

The EU Biodiversity Strategy to 2020 determines that “Member States, with the assistance of the Commission, will map and assess the state of ecosystems and their services in their national territory by 2014, assess the economic value of such services, and promote the integration of these values into accounting and reporting systems at EU and national level by 2020”. Mapping and assessment of ecosystem services provides several benefits, one of which is baseline data providing to measure net future gains or losses and data integration into spatial development process. The aim of the paper is to present and discuss the approach taken to assessing ecosystem services in order to introduce necessity of mapping and assessment of ecosystems and their services for planning and decision-making process in Latvia. The paper will focus on terminology interpretation of ecosystem services, introducing with set of developed indicators for assessment of ecosystem services and define appropriate for Latvia. The paper closes with estimation of potential benefits and necessity to integrate assessment of ecosystems services in spatial planning and decision-making process.

PARTICULARITIES REGARDING THE USE OF PLANNING METHODOLOGIES IN THE FRAMEWORK OF LAND FORCES’ MILITARY OPERATIONS

2021 ◽  
Vol 17 (1) ◽  
pp. 27-31
Author(s):  
Paul TUDORACHE
Keyword(s):  
Decision Making ◽  
Comparative Analysis ◽  
Design Methodology ◽  
National Level ◽  
Research Paper ◽  
Decision Making Process ◽  
Military Operations ◽  
Primary Activity ◽  
The Military ◽  
Military Decision Making

Abstract: The manifestation of different dissensions regarding the use of planning methodologies in the operations process has become a reality, both at national level and within NATO. Therefore, this research paper contributes to the theoretical clarification on defining the specific methodologies, respectively their employment in relation to the level of Land Forces military operations. Another objective of this paper is to make a comparative analysis between the design methodology, military decision making process (MDMP) and troop leading procedures (TLP), targeting the military structures within the Land Forces, and those belonging to NATO. Also, at the end, the paper highlights some perspectives of improving planning, as the primary activity which starts the operations process.

Is there Life after Kohl? The CDU Crisis and the Future of Party Democracy in Germany

2000 ◽  
Vol 35 (4) ◽  
pp. 419-438 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ludger Helms
Keyword(s):  
Decision Making ◽  
Party System ◽  
National Level ◽  
State Level ◽  
Decision Making Process ◽  
Dominant Position ◽  
Christian Democratic Union ◽  
The Future ◽  
Christian Social Union ◽  
The Individual

There are few Chapters of the Federal Republic'S History that could be written without a prominent reference to the Christian Democratic Union (CDU). Since 1949 Christian Democratic chancellors have led German governments for no less than 37 years. Even when in opposition, the Christian Democrats - composed at the national level of the CDU and the Bavarian Christian Social Union (CSU)1 - constituted more often than not the strongest parliamentary party group (Fraktion) in the Bundestag, such as after the federal elections of 1969, 1976 and 1980. Also at state level and in the Bundesrat, which represents the individual states (L-nder) in the national decision-making process, the Christian Democrats quite often held a dominant position justifying occasional remarks of a ‘CDU/CSU bias’ within the German party system.

scholarly journals An evaluation of the current status of EIA system in Pakistan focusing Khyber Pakhtunkhwa

2018 ◽  
Vol 7 (2) ◽  
pp. 20
Author(s):  
Deedar Ahmed ◽  
Abdullah Khan ◽  
Zulfiqar Ali ◽  
Daulat Khan ◽  
Ihsan Ullah Afridi
Keyword(s):  
Decision Making ◽  
Environmental Assessment ◽  
Evaluation Model ◽  
National Level ◽  
Assessment System ◽  
Assessment Process ◽  
Current Status ◽  
Decision Making Process ◽  
Environmental Legislation ◽  
Khyber Pakhtunkhwa

Pakistan, like many other developing countries has adopted the integration of environmental concerns in its social and economic planning. Pakistan has developed some environmental legislation and policies at the national level for the protection and conservation of environment. This paper evaluates the current status of the environmental assessment system in Pakistan and especially in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) province by using the Christopher Wood Evaluation Model. The EIA system in Pakistan has many strong features like the legal basis for assessment process, strong apprehension and willingness for screening and scoping, stakeholder’s involvement and participation, mitigation of impacts, and cost & benefits of EIA system. The limitations found in the assessment process of Pakistan includes Preparation of EIA report and its review, monitoring and auditing, strategic environmental assessment, while consideration of alternatives and decision making mechanisms are completely ignored. Besides these, the study revealed the practice of ineffective remedial measures, non-professional, inexperience and unregistered consultants involved in the environmental assessment and sporadically the politically oriented decision making process. This evaluation led to a series of suggestions regarding the improvement of EIA system in Pakistan and especially KP Province with a view to develop its quality and effectiveness.

scholarly journals Seleção de financiamento para aquisição de aeronaves: Uma aplicação do método de análise hierárquica (AHP)

TRANSPORTES ◽  
1998 ◽  
Vol 6 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Sergio Ronaldo Granemann ◽  
Ivan Ricardo Gartner
Keyword(s):  
Decision Making ◽  
Capital Structure ◽  
Analytic Hierarchy Process ◽  
Complex Problem ◽  
Decision Making Process ◽  
Analytic Hierarchy ◽  
Model Stability ◽  
Multicriteria Methods ◽  
Qualitative Variables ◽  
Hierarchy Process

<p>A escolha do financiamento para aquisição de aeronaves nas companhias aéreas brasileiras é um problema crucial e complexo. É crucial, pois exerce grande influência na estrutura de capitais da empresa. E é complexo por envolver a analise de uma ampla gama de variáveis quantitativas e qualitativas. Este tipo de problema requer o uso de métodos multicritérios que conjuguem as diferentes variáveis que interagem no processo decisório. Neste estudo foi aplicado o método AHP (Analytic Hierarchy Process) na classificação das alternativas de financiamento disponíveis para a aquisição de aeronaves. Ao final do trabalho, foi realizada uma ampla análise de sensibilidade dos resultados alcançados, visando a determinação da estabilidade do modelo a variações nos julgamentos dos decisores.</p><p>ABSTRACT</p><p>The choice of the finaancing system for aircraft acquisition for Brazilian airlines companies is a fundamental and complex problem. It is fundamental for Brazilian companies because it affects their capital structure and it is complex because it involves a large number of quantitative and qualitative variables. The solution of this problem requires the use of multicriteria methods that are able to combine variables of distinct nature for supporting the decision making process. In this paper, the Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) is adopted for rating the £inancing alternatives for aircraft acquisition. In order to veri£y the model stability, a sentitivity analysis was then carried out based on the model results.</p>

scholarly journals How Far Can Citizens Influence the Decision-Making Process? Analysis of the Effectiveness of Referenda in the Czech Republic, Slovakia and Hungary in 1989–2015

2015 ◽  
Vol 5 (2) ◽  
pp. 171-196 ◽  
Author(s):  
Elżbieta Kużelewska
Keyword(s):  
Decision Making ◽  
Czech Republic ◽  
Direct Democracy ◽  
Process Analysis ◽  
National Level ◽  
Decision Making Process ◽  
Legislative Process ◽  
The Czech Republic ◽  
Central European ◽  
Political Role

AbstractThis article explores the political role of a referendum in Central European countries, in particular in Hungary, Slovakia, and the Czech Republic. In this article, political effectiveness is understood as a possibility to influence the decision-making process by citizens through a referendum. The transformation of political systems in Central European states from socialist/communist to democratic ones resulted in increasing interest in the notion of referendum, one of the common forms of direct democracy. However, most referenda have been abused for political purposes. The focus of this article is a referendum used at the national level. This study examines the use of a referendum in Central European states from 1989 to 2015. The database presents, country by country, the subject matter of voting, people’s participation and the results in order to show the citizens’ opportunity (or lack of it) to express their opinions and to contribute to policy-making by circumventing the standard legislative process. The aim of this paper is to analyze referenda in the selected countries and to verify two hypotheses. Firstly, the weak use of a referendum and a small size of complementation of representative democracy. Secondly, the citizens’ belief in a referendum as an element of communication and consultation between authorities and society.

De invloed van de milieubeweging op het milieubeleid : Neo-corporatisme of culturele vernieuwing ?

Res Publica ◽  
1995 ◽  
Vol 37 (1) ◽  
pp. 93-108
Author(s):  
Marc Hooghe
Keyword(s):  
Decision Making ◽  
Political Culture ◽  
National Level ◽  
Political Agenda ◽  
Decision Making Process ◽  
Environmental Legislation ◽  
Environmental Groups ◽  
Advisory Committees ◽  
The Public ◽  
Direct Pressure

An analysis of recent environmental legislation in Belgium (Flanders) shows that only small part of it originated from direct pressure by the environmental movement. Although in recent years environmental groups were admitted to a number of advisory committees, this did not really made them a more powerful politica!l orce. Four reasons can be given for this relative weakness: 1) like all new social movements, the movement bas a weak organisational structure; 2) it's focus is on local disturbances to the environment; 3) it's disruptive potential is limited, especially on the national level; 4) it has little format access to the decision making process. The main consequence of it's activities is an innovation of political culture. The movement is succesful in defining and constructing environmental problems, and forcing them on the public and political agenda, but it lacks the power to steer the decision making process on the issues it has created.

scholarly journals Genetic engineering, a hope for sustainable biofuel production: review

2014 ◽  
Vol 3 (2) ◽  
pp. 311-323 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sudip Paudel ◽  
Michael A Menze
Keyword(s):  
Genetic Engineering ◽  
Fossil Fuels ◽  
Genetically Modified Organisms ◽  
Lipid Production ◽  
Genetically Engineered ◽  
Raw Material ◽  
Biofuel Production ◽  
Wild Type ◽  
Environment Friendly ◽  
Genetically Engineered Organisms

The use of recently developed genetic engineering tools in combination with organisms that have the potential to produce precursors for the production of biodiesel, promises a sustainable and environment friendly energy source. Enhanced lipid production in wild type and/or genetically engineered organisms can offer sufficient raw material for industrial transesterification of plant-based triglycerides. Bio-diesel, produced with the help of genetically modified organisms, might be one of the best alternatives to fossil fuels and to mitigate various environmental hazards. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3126/ije.v3i2.10644 International Journal of the Environment Vol.3(2) 2014: 311-323

scholarly journals OxCGRT-Based Evaluation of Anti-COVID-19 Measures Taken by Japanese Prefectures

2021 ◽  
Vol 16 (1) ◽  
pp. 16-23
Author(s):  
Shinya Kumagai ◽  
◽  
Tomomi Aoyama ◽  
Eri Ino ◽  
Kenji Watanabe
Keyword(s):  
Decision Making ◽  
National Level ◽  
Decision Making Process ◽  
Economic Activities ◽  
Early Stages ◽  
Awareness Raising ◽  
Over Time ◽  
Infection Spread

Particularly in the early stages of infection spread in spring 2020, mass infection to COVID-19 occurred mainly in densely populated areas. In order to control the spread of the disease while minimizing its impact on economic activities, response and awareness-raising were required not only at the national level but also at the prefectural level. In this study, we attempted to compare and verify the characteristics of the decision-making process and the effectiveness of the prefectural response by quantitatively evaluating the changes in the measures taken by each prefecture in Japan over time.

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