Support for NZ gene technology reformsFriday 16 Aug 2024
A vocal advocate for regulatory reform, he says New Zealand can no longer afford to shy away from the transformative potential of cutting-edge genetic technologies. “A bill that allows for greater use of gene technology will enable New Zealand to embrace gene technologies as a key tool for achieving important environmental and societal goals whilst also improving productivity. “Gene technologies offer enormous opportunities for tackling challenges like reducing methane emissions from agriculture or reducing emissions and achieving net-zero targets. “The world around us is rapidly evolving and today’s announcement is a step change in New Zealand being able to solve these challenges using biotechnology as well as support various industries to deliver new high-value products and be more competitive on the international stage.” Through favourable biotech regulations, other countries are already well ahead of us. By 2040, Australia’s national science agency, CSIRO, projects a $19.2 billion benefit and 31,200 new jobs from GE in the food and agriculture sectors alone. The United States is investing billions and aims to replace 30% of chemicals and 90% of plastics with biotechnology-derived alternatives by leveraging genetic engineering and bioengineering tools, using various biomass streams as feedstock. Even the European Union, long cautious about genetically modified crops, has followed the UK and recently voted to ease regulations to maintain crop yields, reduce chemical inputs, and bolster food security amid climate change. In New Zealand to date, gene technologies have been used, but restrictive rules and time-consuming processes have made research outside the lab almost impossible. Today the Government has announced its support for new legislation to allow for greater use of gene technology, while ensuring strong protections for the health and safety of people and the environment. The bill will be introduced to Parliament by the end of this year. The decision to update New Zealand’s gene technology rules follows consultation with industry and guidance from a Technical Advisory Group. Dr Foster says New Zealand now stands to reap economic advantages comparable to Australia, given the similarities in our agricultural sectors. Beyond agriculture, gene editing and genetic engineering hold promise in sectors like forestry, where Scion is at the forefront of pioneering research. One of Scion's key projects involves developing sterile pine trees that cannot reproduce sexually, addressing the long-standing issue of wilding pines invading and degrading our natural ecosystems. This innovative approach could enable us to enjoy the economic benefits of plantation forestry while mitigating its environmental risks. More >> Source & image credit: Scion  | ||
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