Tomorrow, April 22, is Earth Day, with the theme “Invest in Our Planet.” Bio.News looks at the biotech companies that have already heeded that call with climate-smart investments and technology.
Why it matters: The recent Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) report found GHG emissions need to be reduced by almost half by 2030 to limit global warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius.
Biotech’s on it—developing a variety of solutions to help reduce emissions and tackle climate change, explains Bio.News.
These include trees that absorb more carbon—such as those by Living Carbon, which absorb approximately 27% more carbon dioxide and are being planted in a forest for the first time.
And fuels that emit less carbon—like the sustainable aviation fuels made from cooking oil and agricultural waste developed by Gevo, Inc., which has already partnered with a slew of commercial airlines.
And we can’t forget alternative proteins. Raising animals for meat releases approximately 15% of global greenhouse gas emissions, but companies are cultivating meat from animal cells, which would require 7-45% less energy to produce the same volume of pork, beef, or sheep.
The context: The Inflation Reduction Act includes a historic $369 billion investment in energy security and fighting climate change, including tax incentives to accelerate sustainable aviation fuel and agricultural biotech. However, we need even more biotech investment to meet climate goals.
Read more about biotech solutions for climate change.
More Agriculture and Environment News:
Bio.News: Danimer Scientific kicks off Earth Week with compostable coffee pods
“Danimer Scientific states an estimated ‘550 million pounds of plastic are used in the manufacture of single-use coffee pods annually’ in the European market. The new plastic formula has already undergone biodegradability tests and has been certified a household compostable.”
STAT News (Opinion): Where are the guidelines for the production of animals with intentional genomic alterations?
“Newer technologies can make highly targeted changes at the base-pair level—one specific rung on the DNA ladder—enhancing precision and reducing the likelihood of ‘off-target effects’ in which base pairs are unintentionally added to or deleted from the genome. But realizing the benefits of animals with intentional genomic alterations depends on gaining consumers’ trust, which in turn requires a regulatory system that consumers can count on,” explain BIO VP Beth Ellikidis and the Center for Science in the Public Interest’s Peter Lurie.
