Gene-Silencing Pesticides Need to be Stringently Regulated

“Gene-silencing pesticides” under development pose unique risks to surrounding ecosystems and beneficial insects as well as to human health. They need to be stringently regulated and risk assessed in accordance with the Precautionary Principle. […]

Virtual Informal Session of SBI-3 Considers Implementation of CBD and its Protocols

The CBD’s Subsidiary Body on Implementation (SBI) held a virtual informal session from 8-12 March and 14 March 2021, covering various aspects related to the implementation of the Convention and its Cartagena and Nagoya Protocols. […]

Study Finds Roundup Causes Harm to Daphnia, Demonstrating Risks to Wildlife

A study found that Roundup caused embryonic development failure, significant DNA damage, and interference with metabolism and gut function of Daphnia, demonstrating the risk of harm to wildlife through prolonged exposure, even at low doses. […]

CRISPR/Cas Applications Found to Cause Heritable Changes in Gene Regulation in Mice

CRISPR/Cas genome editing in mice can lead to unintentional epigenomic changes post modification, with generational persistence. […]

A New Food System Based on Agroecology for Rural and Urban Communities

Covid19 threatens to strengthen corporate control over food unless we transition to agroecology now. Agroecology should be central to making policy for food systems that deliver nutritious food for all, do not destroy ecosystems, are rich in biodiversity and help address climate change. […]

Virtual Informal Session of SBSTTA-24 Considers Synthetic Biology and LMO Risk Assessment

The CBD’s Subsidiary Body on Scientific, Technical and Technological advice is currently holding a virtual informal session (17-19 and 24-26 February 2021). Among the agenda items discussed were that of synthetic biology, and risk assessment and risk management of LMOs. The issue of gene drive organisms features prominently in both these agenda items, with civil society calling for a moratorium on environmental releases of such organisms. […]

Rat Study Finds Glyphosate Increases Disease Incidence in Future Generations

This study on rats provides evidence that the health effects from glyphosate can be inherited by subsequent generations, suggesting the need to assess the impacts of environmental exposures on future generations. […]

Innovating Adaptation to Climate Change Through Agroecology

This paper explores agroecology as a systemic response to climate change, and its contribution to innovative and transformative adaptation responses. […]

Genetic Breakdown of Molecular Mechanism Underpinning GM ‘sterile’ Insect Techniques

Research reveals chink in the molecular armour of genetic switches, where ‘sterile’ GM insects revert back to being fertile, resulting in resistant GM populations persisting in the environment. […]

Why Genome Edited Organisms are not Excluded from the Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety (Translation available)

We are pleased to share the Spanish, French and Portuguese translations of the new TWN/GeneWatch UK Biosafety Briefing, which sets out to show that currently deployed genome editing technologies and applications, including all techniques involving CRISPR-based systems, clearly fall within the Cartagena Protocol on Bisoafety’s definition of a living modified organism (LMO), whether they involve inserting, deleting or editing sequences of genomes. […]