Published: 01-05-2025
As the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) begins its formal deliberations on synthetic biology applications, we find ourselves in a critical window where governance frameworks around the use […]
Gene Editing is Pollution
Published: 18-02-2025
As the UK pushes ahead with plans to deregulate both environmental and commercial releases of gene-edited crops and foods – and, soon, farm animals – this thoughtful long-read considers whether we are building a bright new future or just a more sophisticated form of man-made pollution.
Rethinking Sustainability From a Life-centric Perspective
Published: 26-09-2024
A new report from A Bigger Conversation argues that the concept of sustainability has become distorted and compromised, and needs to be radically rethought. It explores how we can shift to a life-centric approach, linked to a core philosophy that sustainability must first and foremost sustain life.
The Future of Digital Technology in Agroecology Workshop
Published: 01-07-2024
A day-long workshop on The Future of Digital Technology in Agroecology co-hosted by the University of Exeter and A Bigger Conversation presented a timely opportunity to disrupt common assumptions that digital technology serves industrialised approaches to agriculture.
Sustainability is Not a Substitute for Safety
Published: 04-10-2022
Calls for sustainability criteria for genome edited organisms are welcome and long overdue, but sustainability cannot be used as a substitute for risk assessment
The AgroEcoTech Trap
Published: 14-01-2022
Technology isn’t values neutral and treating it as if it is diminishes discussions around innovation and appropriateness and diverts from much needed dialogue around sustainability and sufficiency.
Sustainability, regulation and co-existence top the agenda
Published: 27-07-2020
Panellists at our recent webinar Sense, Science and Sustainability tackled the question of genetic engineering in food and farming through a sustainability lens– leading to some surprising admissions. Co-hosted with […]
WEBINAR: Sense, Science and Sustainability
Published: 07-07-2020
Our upcoming webinar brings together specialists from farming, campaigning, science, business and media for an in-depth discussion about whether gene editing is not just desirable but necessary if farming is to reach its goals of higher sustainability and better welfare.
How a new biotech rule will foster distrust with the public and impede progress in science
Published: 02-06-2020
Reclaiming a baseline of accountability is the first step in building public confidence in regulatory systems that work for people as well as science that the public believes in.
Uncertainty versus risk
Published: 15-02-2019
Uncertainties can make it hard to plan ahead. But recognising them can help to reveal new questions and choices. What kinds of uncertainty are there, why do they matter for sustainability, and what ideas, approaches and methods can help us to respond to them?