Chimeras: The Genetic Modification of Nature
GeneWatch UK has prepared a briefing on the genetic modification of nature for the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Congress in October 2025
The upcoming Congress claims to be “where the world comes together to set priorities and drive conservation and sustainable development action.” A major concern for those on the outside is that the Congress may advance plans to develop and encourage the use of synthetic biology in nature conservation. This could at first glance sound like a plausible idea, just as the synthetic “dire wolves” may seem appealing rather than a colossal waste of intellectual and other resources. This is worse.
The 26-page Briefing, bolstered by a further 23 pages of citations, covers a range of proposed uses for genetic engineering and a thorough critique of the ecological risks, commercial interests, and lack of public engagement and informed consent. It makes a very convincing case that:
Genetically modifying nature is not conservation and risks undermining the very concept of conservation in itself. … Genetically modifying nature is being promoted for financial reasons, and is underpinned by hubris and misleading claims. Published claims of benefits are barely credible and most proposed applications will never be delivered.
Read the whole thing. It’s well-written, sensibly presented, and available for download.
GeneWatch UK has been active since 1998, monitoring developments in genetic technologies from a public interest, human rights, environmental protection, and animal welfare perspective. (It should not be confused with the former Council for Responsible Genetics in the USA which used to publish a Newsletter called GeneWatch.)
As we have noted when discussing Colossal Biosciences, technical advances such as those that will be discussed at the IUCN Congress are likely to be applied to humans. Indeed, one of Colossal’s scientists has already co-founded Manhattan Genomics with He Jiankui’s ex-wife. This briefing seems to be a particularly well-timed and valuable contribution to an as yet unresolved discussion.