It’s time to break the stigma around GM
Recently, there has been a shift in society’s view of genetic modification and its potential applications in the fight against climate change. This has led to a call for changes in our current policies from farmers and MPs alike. However, due to the Green Party’s current stance on this topic, New Zealand is unable to utilise genetic modification (GM) for anything that is not laboratory-based.
I am a member of the Emerging Scientists for Climate Action society, which involves students from universities all over NZ. We are writing an open letter to the Greens to encourage them to review their stance on GM and the current laws and regulations around genetic engineering (GE).
Our overarching goal to tackle climate change aligns with the Greens, and they are in a position to make positive change. We have 155 signatures from emerging scientists (aged under 30) in support.
GM is a controversial topic, and there is much misunderstanding about its techniques and applications. GM (aka GE) uses gene editing technologies and knowledge of genetics to make changes in an organism for a specific outcome.
For example, a plant could be genetically modified to grow bigger to produce a higher yield. There are many gene-editing techniques that can be utilised, which further adds to the misconceptions around its applications.
There is warranted concern over the long-term impacts of manipulating organisms at the molecular level. However, does this mean we should disregard GM altogether?
Our laws and regulations around GM were established in 2001 and fall under the Hazardous Substances and New Organisms Act. That law regulates research and release of all living things that do not already exist in NZ, including those that are genetically modified.
But these regulations have not accounted for the rapid advances in gene editing technology over the last decade, leaving NZ behind in the biotechnological sector.
The calls for law changes come from all over NZ, including government agents such as Professor Juliet Gerrard, the prime minister’s chief science adviser. Current legal and regulatory frameworks are struggling to keep up with current technologies.
The focus on GM has largely been on food production, such as pesticide-resistant crops and increased growth for higher crop yields. But the scope of GE expands far beyond this. GE techniques have many benefits, including to mitigate the effects of climate change. For example, there has been research into genetically modifying plants to sequester more carbon from the environment, which would assist with lowering rising temperatures.
Ihave been working on projects involving GM, specifically around genetically modifying milk proteins to reduce the allergenicity. The goal is to produce these proteins through a cellular-agriculture based system that can produce milk products in a more sustainable fashion in comparison to current methods. When discussing this project with people within the dairy industry, the overall remark is it’s a great idea but it will never be produced in NZ.
It is disheartening to see that the potential benefits of using technology such as this to address climate change hasn’t been considered due to our laws.
But it is now 2019, and we have advanced our technology and understanding of genetics in ways we couldn’t have imagined. A new generation of emerging scientists has new values and ethical drives, especially focused on preserving our planet for future generations.
To mitigate the effects of climate change, we need new and optimised technologies, such as GE. This is a practical action that could be implemented through highly controlled policy.
If we hope to reach the carbon-neutral targets set in the United Nations by 2050 while meeting the demands of the increasing population in a sustainable fashion, we need to reframe the conversation around GM now.
The Royal Society has started this discussion, identifying the cultural values involved with using GE technologies but emphasising how NZ needs to shift its current view of this technology.
The goal is not to be carelessly modifying organisms for the benefit of a few, it is to utilise knowledge and technology so that we can take a step forward. New Zealand is a world leader in green agricultural technologies. As a forward-thinking country, let’s break the stigma surrounding GM and create a better future for ourselves and the generations to come.
Deborah Paull is studying for a Masters of Science in Microbiology at the University of Canterbury.