Drawing Lines in the Sand? Paths Forward for Triggering Regulation of Gene-Edited Crops

Researchers are making use of new gene-editing techniques in medicine, bioenergy, industrial biotechnology, and beyond, and the field of crop breeding is no exception. These techniques, which differ from genetic modification techniques, spell difficult questions for regulatory oversight: will current rules-of-play apply, or do new techniques necessitate fundamental shifts in regulations? Thus far, little explicit attention has focused on the fundamental yet elusive questions of which technical specifics currently trigger regulation of gene-edited crops, and where different jurisdictions ‘draw’ this line. Here, we trace these regulatory lines across key jurisdictions. We argue that extant regulatory definitions are crumbling in the face of emerging technologies and assert that this breakdown poses a threat to responsible governance. Drawing upon insights from responsible research and innovation, we propose a shift away from technically based regulatory approaches and toward more risk-targeted oversight based on broader societal and ecological implications.