THE LANGUAGE OF ENVIRONMENTAL POLICY: GENETICALLY MODIFIED SEEDS AND THE PRECAUTIONARY DISCUSS IN BRAZIL

Abstract

The paper presents an analysis of the conflict involving the release of Roundup Ready (RR) in Brazil from what is called the 'narrative line of uncertainty'. The aim is to evaluate the resources and strategies used by two opposite discursive alliances envolved in the conflict to legitimize their position in the political arena. In discursive alliance of release (or speech of release) we find what can be called minimal precautionary approach. In opposition to that one there is the alliance of the precautionary discourse (or discourse of precaution), which tends to give a different perspective of the issues involving security transgenic. The text aims to show that these discourses have very different assumptions about the idea of precaution and issues surrounding the perception of risk, state of knowledge, preventive measures, scientific uncertainty, the burden of proof and other elements associated with these dimensions.