1. 1 Dept of Politics & International Studies. Wyn Grant, Justin Greaves. Warwick HRI. Dave Chandler, Gill Prince. Dept of Biological Sciences. Mark Tatchell. RELU project team at Warwick

2. 2 Why are biopesticides useful? Often v. specific. –‘inherently less toxic than conventional pesticides’ (EPA). Compatible with other control agents. Little or no residue. Inexpensive to develop. Natural enemies used in ecologically-based IPM. Social benefits.

3. 3 In the EU, microbes & biochemicals are registered as plant protection products National authorisations (PSD). Harmonisation of arrangements: –Directive 91/414 –Active substances added to Annex I (existing & new substances). –Mutual recognition. –Tailored requirements for biopesticides.

4. 4 Mutual recognition (EU) Commission admits this is not working. We are supposed to have an internal market. Would help to overcome problem of small market size. Need to support 91/414 revision that creates three ‘eco zones’ within EU. ‘Rebeca’ policy action

5. 5 Why political science and biology can relate well Mackenzie’s Politics and Social Science has first main chapter on biological context Punctuated equilibrium models Nature of political science as a junction subject, ‘tolerant eclecticism’ Biology concerned with adaptation to environment, also true of politics – EU and more interdependent world

6. 6 More reasons for good relationship Heightened importance of environmental problems creates new cooperation opportunities Similar methodological challenges Collaboration with physics or chemistry might be more difficult

7. 7 How we started work Concerns by biologists about partisanship, in both disciplines real differences between schools and disciplines Read and presented articles from each other’s disciplines Political science articles discursive

8. 8 Shared methodological issues Categorisation issues – ‘lumpers’ and ‘splitters’ in biology Individualistic fallacy and ecological fallacy, although in biology individualistic fallacy overcome by data aggregation and mathematical models Molecular genetics led to ‘bottom up’ science, failure to address big questions, also EU studies?

9. 9 Methodological challenges Replicated, controlled experiments in biology, model plant (Arabidopis thlania), no model citizen Protocols in science less flexible than semi-structured interviewing, also rhythms of planting, growing and harvesting Both disciplines use the comparative method

10. 10 What each side gains Scientific research poses questions for regulators, e.g., species identity Need scientific knowledge to participate in highly technical regulatory debate Scientists had considerable knowledge of policy networks and decision-making processes, not placed in any systematic framework

11. 11 More gains Biologists state that they have gained from more theoretical approach of political science, in applied biology more accustomed to identifying problem and looking for a solution Only social scientist in Rebeca, but industry needs more political sophistication

12. 12 Lessons for EU studies Difficulties of cooperation between natural and social sciences exaggerated Given role of EU as regulatory state, real need for scientific and social science knowledge to be brought together

13. 13 Visit our website http://www2.warwick.ac.uk/fac/soc/pais/biopesticides/