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Genetic Frontiers for Conservation

Why attend
Synthetic biology presents challenges for conservation. It brings both perceived risks to biodiversity and the people who rely on it as well as apparent opportunities to address some of conservation’s intractable problems. In this session members of IUCN’s Task Force on Synthetic Biology and Biodiversity Conservation will discuss the key issues.
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The explosion of research on DNA has brought technologies that allow humans to alter the genes of organisms to make them do things that humans want and that those organisms would not normally do – synthetic biology. These rapidly evolving technologies create exciting opportunities in many fields, including new kinds of conservation, but they also raise serious questions and complex challenges. Given this, in 2016, IUCN’s Members requested (WCC-2016-Res-086) an evidence-based assessment of the issues regarding synthetic biology that are relevant to and may have an impact – negative or positive – on the conservation and sustainable use of biological diversity. The assessment was published in 2019 under mandate of IUCN’s six expert Commissions and Director General. It addressed >700 peer review comments. This facilitated panel discussion will present the diverse perspectives and case studies reported, and provide an opportunity for panellists to debate the key issues with each other.

Session agenda

Speaker

Dr Kent REDFORD

Principal,
Archipelago Consulting
United States of America

Introduction and context
14:02 - 14:12

Dr Thomas BROOKS

Chief Scientist,
IUCN
Switzerland


15:25 - 15:30

Panelist

Lydia SLOBODIAN

Adjunct Professor of Law,
Georgetown University
United States of America

Governance
14:12 - 14:17

Dr Elizabeth BENNETT

Vice President, Species Conservation,
Wildlife Conservation Society
United States of America

Synthetic biology applications intended for conservation benefits
14:17 - 14:22

Dr Hilde EGGERMONT

Strategic Coordinator Belgian Biodiversity Platform/IUCN Councillor,
Belgium

Synthetic biology applications not directly intended for conservation benefits
14:22 - 14:27

Prof. Dan TOMPKINS

Science Strategy Manager,
Predator Free 2050 Ltd
New Zealand

The potential for unintended consequences for biodiversity and conservation through the application of synthetic biology
14:27 - 14:32

Dr Ann KINGIRI

Director, STIKS Programme,
African Centre for Technology Studies (ACTS)
Kenya

Why synbio applications in agriculture/food matters matter to biodiversity conservation
14:32 - 14:37

Ms Aroha MEAD

Research Director,
Biological Heritage National Science Challenge
New Zealand

Indigenous representation in decision making, and technology/benefit sharing
14:37 - 14:42

Ms Aileen LEE

Chief Program Officer, Environmental Conservation,
Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation
United States of America

Source of funding influencing outcomes
14:42 - 14:47

Dr Todd KUIKEN

Senior Research Scholar ,
North Carolina State University
United States of America

Addressing synthetic biology in the Convention on Biological Diversity
14:47 - 14:52

Facilitator

Ms Julie SHAPIRO

Director, Center for Natural Resources,
Keystone Policy Center
United States of America

Welcome and structure of the event
14:00 - 14:02

Hosts