IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/nat/natcom/v15y2024i1d10.1038_s41467-024-46865-w.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Engineering biology and climate change mitigation: Policy considerations

Author

Listed:
  • Jonathan Symons

    (Macquarie University)

  • Thomas A. Dixon

    (Macquarie University)

  • Jacqueline Dalziell

    (University of Sydney)

  • Natalie Curach

    (HydGene Renewables)

  • Ian T. Paulsen

    (Macquarie University)

  • Anthony Wiskich

    (Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO))

  • Isak S. Pretorius

    (Macquarie University)

Abstract

Engineering biology (EngBio) is a dynamic field that uses gene editing, synthesis, assembly, and engineering to design new or modified biological systems. EngBio applications could make a significant contribution to achieving net zero greenhouse gas emissions. Yet, policy support will be needed if EngBio is to fulfil its climate mitigation potential. What form should such policies take, and what EngBio applications should they target? This paper reviews EngBio’s potential climate contributions to assist policymakers shape regulations and target resources and, in so doing, to facilitate democratic deliberation on desirable futures.

Suggested Citation

  • Jonathan Symons & Thomas A. Dixon & Jacqueline Dalziell & Natalie Curach & Ian T. Paulsen & Anthony Wiskich & Isak S. Pretorius, 2024. "Engineering biology and climate change mitigation: Policy considerations," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 15(1), pages 1-9, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:nat:natcom:v:15:y:2024:i:1:d:10.1038_s41467-024-46865-w
    DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-46865-w
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-024-46865-w
    File Function: Abstract
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1038/s41467-024-46865-w?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Jessica Jewell & Aleh Cherp, 2020. "On the political feasibility of climate change mitigation pathways: Is it too late to keep warming below 1.5°C?," Wiley Interdisciplinary Reviews: Climate Change, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 11(1), January.
    2. K. E. French, 2019. "Harnessing synthetic biology for sustainable development," Nature Sustainability, Nature, vol. 2(4), pages 250-252, April.
    3. Alicia E. Graham & Rodrigo Ledesma-Amaro, 2023. "The microbial food revolution," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 14(1), pages 1-10, December.
    4. Holly Jean Buck & Laura Jane Martin & Oliver Geden & Peter Kareiva & Liz Koslov & Will Krantz & Ben Kravitz & John Noël & Edward A. Parson & Christopher J. Preston & Daniel L. Sanchez & Lynn Scarlett , 2020. "Evaluating the efficacy and equity of environmental stopgap measures," Nature Sustainability, Nature, vol. 3(7), pages 499-504, July.
    5. Ronald Herring & Robert Paarlberg, 2016. "The Political Economy of Biotechnology," Annual Review of Resource Economics, Annual Reviews, vol. 8(1), pages 397-416, October.
    6. Thomas A. Dixon & Paul S. Freemont & Richard A. Johnson & Isak S. Pretorius, 2022. "A global forum on synthetic biology: the need for international engagement," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 13(1), pages 1-5, December.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Hirt, Léon F. & Sahakian, Marlyne & Trutnevyte, Evelina, 2022. "What subnational imaginaries for solar PV? The case of the Swiss energy transition," Technology in Society, Elsevier, vol. 71(C).
    2. Vincent Smith & Justus H. H. Wesseler & David Zilberman, 2021. "New Plant Breeding Technologies: An Assessment of the Political Economy of the Regulatory Environment and Implications for Sustainability," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(7), pages 1-18, March.
    3. Vayu Maini Rekdal & Casper R. B. Luijt & Yan Chen & Ramu Kakumanu & Edward E. K. Baidoo & Christopher J. Petzold & Pablo Cruz-Morales & Jay D. Keasling, 2024. "Edible mycelium bioengineered for enhanced nutritional value and sensory appeal using a modular synthetic biology toolkit," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 15(1), pages 1-18, December.
    4. Castellari, Elena & Soregaroli, Claudio & Venus, Thomas J. & Wesseler, Justus, 2018. "Food processor and retailer non-GMO standards in the US and EU and the driving role of regulations," Food Policy, Elsevier, vol. 78(C), pages 26-37.
    5. Gordon, Joel A. & Balta-Ozkan, Nazmiye & Nabavi, Seyed Ali, 2022. "Homes of the future: Unpacking public perceptions to power the domestic hydrogen transition," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 164(C).
    6. Gita Naseri, 2023. "A roadmap to establish a comprehensive platform for sustainable manufacturing of natural products in yeast," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 14(1), pages 1-13, December.
    7. John C. Boik, 2020. "Science-Driven Societal Transformation, Part II: Motivation and Strategy," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(19), pages 1-23, September.
    8. Maria-Mihaela Antofie & Camelia Sand-Sava, 2022. "Genetically Modified Crops in Romania before and after the Accession of the European Union," Agriculture, MDPI, vol. 12(4), pages 1-15, March.
    9. Gretchen Vengerova & Isaac Lipsky & Gwyneth A. Hutchinson & Nils J. H. Averesch & Aaron J. Berliner, 2024. "Space bioprocess engineering as a potential catalyst for sustainability," Nature Sustainability, Nature, vol. 7(3), pages 238-246, March.
    10. James Karabin & Izaac Mansfield & Emma K Frow, 2021. "Exploring presentations of sustainability by US synthetic biology companies," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 16(9), pages 1-14, September.
    11. Oskar Staufer & Gösta Gantner & Ilia Platzman & Klaus Tanner & Imre Berger & Joachim P. Spatz, 2022. "Bottom-up assembly of viral replication cycles," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 13(1), pages 1-10, December.
    12. Jim Philp, 2021. "Biotechnologies to Bridge the Schism in the Bioeconomy," Energies, MDPI, vol. 14(24), pages 1-19, December.
    13. Jale Tosun, 2017. "On the sustained importance of attitudes toward technological risks and benefits in policy studies," Policy Sciences, Springer;Society of Policy Sciences, vol. 50(4), pages 563-572, December.
    14. Andrew Watkins & Adam McCarthy & Claire Holland & Philip Shapira, 2024. "Public biofoundries as innovation intermediaries: the integration of translation, sustainability, and responsibility," The Journal of Technology Transfer, Springer, vol. 49(4), pages 1259-1286, August.
    15. Gordon, Joel A. & Balta-Ozkan, Nazmiye & Nabavi, Seyed Ali, 2022. "Beyond the triangle of renewable energy acceptance: The five dimensions of domestic hydrogen acceptance," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 324(C).
    16. Haiyan Deng & Ruifa Hu & Carl Pray & Yanhong Jin, 2019. "Perception and Attitude toward GM Technology among Agribusiness Managers in China as Producers and as Consumers," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(5), pages 1-17, March.
    17. Marco Grasso, 2022. "Legitimacy and procedural justice: how might stratospheric aerosol injection function in the public interest?," Palgrave Communications, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 9(1), pages 1-9, December.
    18. Sharon Raszap Skorbiansky & Michael K Adjemian, 2021. "Not All Thin Markets Are Alike: The Case of Organic and Non‐genetically Engineered Corn and Soybeans," Journal of Agricultural Economics, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 72(1), pages 117-133, February.
    19. Motlaghzadeh, Kasra & Schweizer, Vanessa & Craik, Neil & Moreno-Cruz, Juan, 2023. "Key uncertainties behind global projections of direct air capture deployment," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 348(C).
    20. Matthews, Nicholas & Stamford, Laurence & Shapira, Philip, 2021. "The role of business in constructing sustainable technologies: Can the Silicon Valley model be aligned with sustainable development?," SocArXiv sh9an, Center for Open Science.

    More about this item

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:nat:natcom:v:15:y:2024:i:1:d:10.1038_s41467-024-46865-w. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Sonal Shukla or Springer Nature Abstracting and Indexing (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.nature.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.