Biotechnology is thought to be one of the most important sectors that could help towards the global climate emergency, both in slowing down the impact humans and animals are having on the planet and in preparing us for a warmer world.
We’d like to take a look at the areas in which biotechnology companies can provide critical research and knowledge about our climate in an effort to slow the effects on Earth.
- Bioenergy – developing greener ways to fuel the planet with biofuels and bio-based materials. It’s a renewable energy taken from recently living organic materials (biomass) and used to produce fuel, electricity and heat. Examples that are happening already include food waste, sewage, plants and timber. Food waste for example is stored in sealed tanks where it rots and produces methane gas which is then captured and burnt to generate electricity.
- Agriculture & food supply – the aim is to support farmers to grow more productive, climate-friendly crops improve the health and breeding of their livestock. Food production accounts for almost a quarter of greenhouse gas emissions so ways to improve food quality, nutrition and shelf life as well as reduce food waste is crucial.
- Marine biotechnology – in our July article, we discuss the importance of Blue biotechnology and how it’s hugely unexplored by biotechnology companies as a way to help us to understand aquaculture, seafood safety and biofuel advancements. The oceans make up the majority of our planet’s surface and is rich with biodiversity currently unexplored.
- Health – not only in preparing for the changes in human health as a result of climate change, but also aware of the environmental degradation increasing the risk of pandemics through the spread of diseases. The work to combat antimicrobial resistance with accurate diagnosis and development of vaccines remains critical.
- Outreach – using public platforms to spread the message of climate change on the natural world and engaging with audiences to educate them to make changes is of high importance for biotechnology companies. Stepping out of the lab and into the limelight can have positive effects as we’ve seen with some famous speakers such as Sir David Attenborough. The time to shed light on the situation and how we’re going to combat it as biologists is now.
- Advocacy – facilitating discussions on climate change with governments and policy-makers should be a key element of the climate emergency campaign. Biotechnological advances need to remain on the agenda and we’re proud of our own work in this arena and our ongoing relationship with Science in Parliament.
Now is a really exciting time to be part of the biotechnology and life sciences industry, innovation is key to supporting the changes in our climate and visibility of biotechnology companies’ efforts is growing. We’re here to support biotechnology companies reach further than ever before with a number of services to enhance their crucial work. Let us support you on your business mission with our extensive experience in this field and we can make a difference together.
