The unwarranted interference of some environmental non-governmental organisations (ENGOs) in decision-making over genetically modified (GM) crops has prompted calls for politics to be removed from the regulatory governance of these products. However, regulatory systems are inevitably political because their purpose is to decide whether the use of particular products will help or hinder the delivery of public policy objectives. ENGOs are most able to interfere in regulatory decision-making when policy objectives and decision-making criteria are vague, making the process vulnerable to disruption by organisations that have a distinct agenda. Making regulatory decision-making about GM crops and other green biotechnology more resistant to interference therefore requires better politics not the removal of politics. Better politics begins with political leadership making a case for green biotechnology in achieving food security and other sustainable development goals. Such a policy must involve making political choices and cannot be outsourced to science. Other aspects of better politics include regulatory reform to set policy aims and decision-making criteria that encourage innovation as well as control risk, and engagement with civil society that discusses the values behind attitudes to the application of green biotechnology. In short, green biotechnology for sustainable development needs better politics to counter well-organised opposition, to encourage innovation, and to build the trust of civil society for these policies. Removing politics from regulatory governance would be a gift to ENGOs that are opposed to the use of biotechnology.

一些环境非政府组织（ENGO）对转基因（GM）作物决策的无端干预促使人们呼吁将政治从这些产品的监管治理中剔除。然而，监管体系不可避免地具有政治性，因为其目的是决定特定产品的使用是否有助于或阻碍公共政策目标的实现。当政策目标和决策标准模糊时，环境非政府组织最有能力干预监管决策，从而使这一过程容易受到具有独特议程的组织的干扰。因此，要使有关转基因作物和其他绿色生物技术的监管决策更能抵抗干扰，需要更好的政治，而不是消除政治。更好的政治始于政治领导力，为绿色生物技术实现粮食安全和其他可持续发展目标提供理由。这样的政策必须涉及政治选择，不能外包给科学。更好的政治的其他方面包括监管改革，以制定鼓励创新和控制风险的政策目标和决策标准，以及与民间社会的接触，讨论对绿色生物技术应用的态度背后的价值观。简而言之，促进可持续发展的绿色生物技术需要更好的政治来反击组织良好的反对派，鼓励创新，并建立民间社会对这些政策的信任。将政治从监管治理中去除对于反对使用生物技术的环境非政府组织来说将是一份礼物。