National and international civil society organisations asked the IUCN Policy Development Working Group on Synthetic Biology to halt the development of the relevant IUCN policy until all criteria for inclusive participation and impartial oversight are fulfilled.
Marseille, France — On Friday, 10.09.2021, the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN)’s World Congress voted on a controversial motion questioning the use of genetic engineering in nature conservation. The IUCN members approved this landmark motion, which paves the way for a global dialogue on the future of new forms of this engineering, called synthetic biology, including gene drive organisms.
“Should nature conservationists back genetic engineering of wild species in order to counter the impact of human activity?” This is the question that IUCN members will face at the IUCN Members’ Assembly in Marseille.
Civil society organisations wrote to the IUCN leadership to express their concern about the Genetic Frontiers for Conservation report.