Climate change is affecting communities worldwide, and innovative solutions are more urgently needed than ever. As leaders from around the world gather in Dubai for the United Nations climate talks known as COP28, they must recognize that many tangible solutions already exist to address climate change, but market and policy uncertainty hamper implementation.
Among the arsenal of tools at our disposal, biotechnology emerges as a potent force in achieving climate change mitigation, adaptation, and resilience. From engineering crops resistant to changing weather patterns to developing biobased materials, biotechnology offers a path forward against the environmental challenges we face – and world leaders need to create clearer market pathways to ensure their uptake.
However, there are steps that need to be taken if we want to fully leverage the power of biotechnology to decarbonize economies worldwide and meet the climate challenge. First and foremost, governments must work to reduce unnecessary regulatory barriers that hinder further adoption of biotech innovations. The Biden Administration has stressed the importance of addressing climate change in the rollout of the Fifth National Climate Assessment; now this research should mobilize policymakers to take tangible action, whether embracing incentives for biotechnology or utilizing government procurement programs to accelerate the pace of production and adoption of biobased products.
