Global Conservation Body Backs Genetically Modified Wildlife Over Indigenous Opposition

This week, members of the International Union of Conservation of Nature, one of the world’s largest conservation groups, voted against a moratorium on the release of genetically engineered species into the wild to assist in conservation efforts and in favor of the use of synthetic biology, the technology used to alter or “edit” genetic material in living cells.

The two motions have drawn intense criticism from Indigenous-led groups and international organizations focused on agriculture, beekeeping, conservation, and biodiversity, which lobbied the International Union of Conservation of Nature, or IUCN, to impose the moratorium. A related motion, which would green light the use of synthetic biology for research, was approved in a vote.

At issue is the efficacy and ethical safeguards related to genetically engineered species. Since the 1990s, genetically modified foods have been available to consumers in grocery stores. However, as gene editing technology has improved, scientists have worked on efforts related to climate change, such as disease vectors carried by mosquitoes, which have increased due to hotter temperatures driven by climate change. For instance, in August, a nonprofit released 16,000 genetically modified mosquitoes to subdue Anopheles gambiae, the mosquito species responsible for carrying malaria. The project was shut down a week later by authorities.