Genetic engineering - the controversial technology that allows scientists to manipulate genes in living organisms and produce new plants and animals - is at the heart of an intense global conflict. The search for a working international regime on biosafety has been complicated by rising transatlantic and North-South tensions over the burgeoning trade in genetically modified (GM) crops. At stake are not just the environmental and health risks involved in the production of GM food, but also questions about whether international society is able to govern risky technologies in an era of economic globalization. This timely and comprehensive collection brings together experts from the fields of international relations, environmental studies, trade and international law to examine the sources of international friction and to explore the prospects for international cooperation, offering a provocative insight into the new politics of global governance.