Reassessing Risk in Decision-Making on Engineering Biology
As the realities of the climate crisis are being felt around the world, proposed biotechnological solutions to mitigate the crisis are gaining traction and traditional normative ethics frameworks of risk-aversion are no longer fit for purpose. In this context, engineering biology technologies have emerged as potential game-changers for climate change mitigation and for carbon-negative solutions. However, moving from pilot and laboratory studies to industrial scaling of engineering biology faces significant obstacles, and deployment of critical technologies within the sector is seen as inherently high-risk. These obstacles include: perceived dangerousness of bioengineered microorganisms and products; perceived misalignment with public interest; and, difficulty in translating scientific outcomes into operable policy frameworks. Moreover, using engineering biology to develop carbon-negative solutions may impact on specific cultural values, such as environmental responsibility, and on philosophical notions of the relationship between risk and responsibility. In this context, engineering biology also offers a pathway to rethink the relationship between risk and environmental responsibility.
This research provides thought leadership in examining risk and responsibility in engineering biology-enabled carbon-negative solutions in Australia, through engagement with policy and science experts. Failing to explore novel visions of risk and responsibility for the future deployment and integration of novel carbon capture technologies within the current climate crisis would impair Australia’s ability to adapt and thrive in future climate scenarios.
Researcher(s):
- Dr. Daniele Fulvi (Project leader, WSU)
- Dr. Henry Dixson
- Dr. Josh Wodak (WSU)
- Dr. Lucy Carter
- Dr. Aditi Mankad
- Dr. Robert Speight (CSIRO)
Funding: $80,000 (co-funded by the Advanced Engineering Biology FSP, CSIRO and the WSU Node of the ARC Centre of Excellence in Synthetic Biology)
Period: July 2024 – July 2025
Contact: Daniele Fulvi
