IUCN supports synthetic biology despite Indigenous opposition

Members of the International Union for Conservation of Nature recently voted against a moratorium on the release of genetically engineered species into the wild and in favor of using synthetic biology for conservation, according to reporting by Grist.

Indigenous-led groups and environmental organizations criticized the decision, saying consultation policies and ethical standards must be in place before such technologies are used. “At this point, the science is new, and we don’t actually have data or evidence to suggest that it could be safe,” Dana Perls of Friends of the Earth was quoted as saying. IUCN member Susan Lieberman said the resolutions adopted in Abu Dhabi will guide policy toward evidence-based conservation that includes the rights and leadership of Indigenous peoples.