Category Archives: synthetic biology

Radio show: False Solutions to the Climate Crisis

Global Justice Ecology Project Communications Director Jeff Conant spoke about “false solutions to the climate crisis” yesterday on KPFA’s show Your Own Health and Fitness. Listen to the show here.

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Filed under Climate Justice, REDD, False Solutions to Climate Change, Geoengineering, synthetic biology

Obama administration issues ‘Bioeconomy Blueprint’

Nature responds to the Obama administrations National Bioeconomy Blueprint: Posted by Erika Check Hayden in Nature 27 Apr 2012: The White House today released a National Bioeconomy Blueprint, which it calls “a comprehensive approach to harnessing innovations in biological research to address national challenges in health, food, … Continue reading

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Filed under Bioenergy / Agrofuels, Green Economy, synthetic biology

Developing countries face up to synthetic biology challenges

By Yojana Sharma, from SciDevNet 27 April 2012 | EN – Debate about the governance of the emerging field of synthetic biology is likely to see disagreements among developing countries at ameeting of the Convention on Biodiversity (CBD) Subsidiary Body on Scientific, Technical and Technological … Continue reading

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Filed under Energy, False Solutions to Climate Change, Forests and Climate Change, Green Economy, Greenwashing, Land Grabs, Rio+20, synthetic biology

The Bioeconomy is Bad for Biodiversity, Global Forest Coalition Warns

NOTE: This morning, the White House released its National Bioeconomy Blueprint.The press release from the White House announced the Obama Administration’s “commitment to strengthening bioscience research as a major driver of American innovation and economic growth.”  The National Bioeconomy Blueprint outlines steps that agencies … Continue reading

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Filed under Bioenergy / Agrofuels, Energy, False Solutions to Climate Change, GE Trees, Genetic Engineering, Green Economy, REDD, synthetic biology

How do synthetic biologists keep the support of the public?

NOTE: As part of our ongoing coverage of the synthetic biology industry, we bring you this recent blog from the Guardian which can offer some useful insights to those who hope to see greater scrutiny over and regulation of this … Continue reading

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Filed under Green Economy, synthetic biology

Amyris selling off U.S. ethanol distribution arm

NOTE: Our friend Richard Brenneman, at his blog Eats Shoots n’ Leaves, reports today on an SEC filing by former leading biofuels firm Amyris. The note is significant because Amyris, which earned its gold stars developing a ‘cheaper’ malaria medication … Continue reading

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Evolution seen in ‘synthetic DNA’

Cross-posted from the BBC. Researchers have succeeded in mimicking the chemistry of life in synthetic versions of DNA and RNA molecules. The work shows that DNA and its chemical cousin RNA are not unique in their ability to encode information … Continue reading

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Video: Interview with Nnimmo Bassey, Chair of Friends of the Earth International

Nnimmo Bassey, organizer, architect, poet, writer, Director of Environmental Rights Action, Chair of Friends of the Earth International, and winner of the Right Livelihood Award, was in the San Francisco Bay Area last month for the forum on synthetic biology … Continue reading

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Filed under Bioenergy / Agrofuels, Energy, synthetic biology

Biotech Worker’s Illness Raises Worries About the Growing, Largely Unregulated, Industry

Little is Known Yet About Risks to Worker Safety, Public Health, Social Justice, and the Environment BY SETH SANDRONSKY, cross-posted from Earth Island Journal APRIL 17, 2012 – David Bell was a senior at University California at Davis when he began to work … Continue reading

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Oil Incumbents Building Empires to Dominate Biofuels and Other Alternative Fuels

Large corporations such as Chevron and BP dominate partnership networks, which connect nearly 80% of the 753 firms active in alternative fuels, says Lux Research. (SOURCE: Lux Research, Inc.) BOSTON, Apr 17, 2012 (BUSINESS WIRE) – Over the past decade, … Continue reading

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Filed under Bioenergy / Agrofuels, Energy, False Solutions to Climate Change, synthetic biology