Should genetic engineering be used to kill off invasive species, or make corals resistant to warmer waters? Should endangered species be genetically modified in the name of nature conservation? The controversy over the role of genetic engineering in nature conservation continues to intensify. Two motions have been submitted for adoption by the World Congress of the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) later this year.
For those concerned about the unregulated and potentially uncontrollable spread of genetically modified organisms, there was a lot at stake at the 16th Conference of the Parties to the UN Biodiversity Convention.
The 16th Conference of the Parties (COP) of the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) in Cali produced few encouraging results with regard to the Precautionary Priniciple and the effective regulation of genetically engineered organisms, particularly gene drives.
Things have changed at the Convention for Biological Diversity, CBD, says Jim Thomas who participated in most of the Convention’s COPs (CBD Conference of Parties) and MOPs (Meeting of Parties to the CBDs Biosafety Protocol) in this century.
As biotechnology reaches ever greater capabilities to “re-design” nature, some want to turn the CBD into a place for the promotion rather than regulation of biotechnology. Parties to the Convention cannot let this happen, warns German-based NGO Save Our Seeds.
As scientists and environmentalists grapple with synthetic biology, a crucial debate failed to materialize at the IUCN regional meeting in Bruges, Belgium. Instead, the meeting revealed significant concerns about the organization’s policy development process on synthetic biology and its implications for nature conservation.
At the 26th Meeting of the Subsidiary Body on Scientific, Technical and Technological Advice (SBSTTA) to the Convention of Biological Diversity (CBD), Gene Drives received significant attention.
“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.