Ethics Committee
The INRAE-Cirad-Ifremer-IRD Ethics in Common Committee addresses the ethical questions that arise during the course of research in France and abroad in the areas of food, agriculture, marine resources, the environment, and sustainable development. It is notably concerned by research focused on relationships between science and society.
New president and vice-president for the Ethics in Common Committee (INRAE-Cirad-Ifremer-IRD)
The boards of directors of the 4 research institutes which founded the Ethics in Common Committee have nominated a new president and vice-president for this advisory body. As of 4 April, it will be presided by Patrick du Jardin, and Valérie Masson-Delmotte will be the vice-president.
This nomination follows on from the mandate of Michel Badré and Bernadette Bensaude-Vincent, president and vice-president respectively up until 3 April 2024.
The INRAE-Cirad-Ifremer-IRD Ethics in Common Committee examines ethical questions raised by research activities, in France and abroad, in the fields of food, agriculture, oceans, the environment and sustainable development, particularly those that concern the relationships between science and society.
Patrick du Jardin, an engineer in agronomy, is a professor and head of the Plant Biology Unit at the faculty of Gembloux Agro-Bio Tech of the University of Liège. He is also an expert and lecturer in the field of agricultural sciences and biological engineering, biosafety ad bioethics. He was member of the INRA-CIRAD(-Ifremer) Ethics Advisory Committee from 2009 to 2016, and vice-chair of the GMO Expert Panel of the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) from 2012 to 2015. He is a specialist in plant physiology and nutrition and is currently working on the development of European regulations on new fertilising products, on behalf of the Belgian government.
Valérie Masson-Delmotte is a research director at the CEA (French Alternative Energies and Atomic Energy Commission) where she works in the Climate and Environment Sciences Laboratory / Institut Pierre Simon Laplace (Université Paris Saclay). Her work focuses on fundamental research in climate sciences, knowledge sharing and expertise in climate change. She co-chaired Working Group 1 of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) from 2015 to 2023 and is a member of the High Council on Climate (2018-2024). She is also a member of the Comité Consultatif National d'Éthique (since 2022).
Ethics in Common: the INRAE - Cirad - Ifremer - IRD ethics committee
What does the Ethics Committee do? What are its values? What subjects does it work on? Who are its members? How do we interact with it?
Ethics Committee opinions
Ethics in Common: committee members
The Ethics in Common Committee has between 10 and 15 French or foreign members, all from outside the four organisations. The president and vice-president are chosen by the CEOs of the four organisations, after consultation with the Boards of Directors. The members are selected by the four organisations intuitu personae, on the basis of their skills and their proven interest in ethical issues. The composition of the Committee responds to the objective of forming a cross-disciplinary group, bringing together complementary expertise and insight and ensuring gender parity. The term of office for members is set at four years, and is renewable once.
The secretariat of the INRAE-Cirad-Ifremer-IRD Ethics in Common Committee
The secretariat of the committee is provided jointly by the four organisations, the administrative support is provided by INRAE.
INRAE: Christine CHARLOT and Claire LURIN
CIRAD: Estelle JALIGOT
IFREMER: Marianne ALUNNO-BRUSCIA
IRD: Ghislaine THIRION
The IRD joined the INRAE-Cirad-Ifremer Ethics Advisory Committee in 2020. The Committee has been meeting since 2016 and has formulated 5 opinions, pursuing the work of the INRA-Cirad Ethics Committee which published 9 opinions. It became the Ethics in Common Committee in September 2022.
