Nanotechnology and synthetic biology
Environmental and socio-economic risks of two emerging new technologies
Organiser: 
Maureen E. Butter, Platform Health and Environment, the Netherlands and ANPED, the Northern Alliance for Sustainability, 
www.anped.org
Speakers:
Maureen Butter, Platform Health and Environment, Netherlands and coordinator Health Work Group of ANPED, the Northern Alliance for Sustainability
Jim Thomas, ETC Group, Canada
Jurek Vengels and Katja Vaupel, Bund, Germany
Outline:
Nanotechnology and synthetic biology are major new technologies, both with the capacity of generating devastating ecological and social effects. Among others nanotechnology yields new materials, ‘machines’ on very small scale, with possibly new and unexpected properties. Synthetic biology beats all previous achievements of GMO’s and will probably give rise to new species in varieties and numbers unheard of. Synthetic biology is not about modifying existing organisms, but about designing new organisms. It is generally agreed that these technologies comprise the third industrial revolution. These developments are well underway, pushed by huge amounts of tax-payers’ funding. In the EU DG Research allotted M€ 1300 and M€3400 in FP6 and FP7 respectively. So far, NGOs have only minimally participated in the decision-making processes, i.e. to promote R&D, to assess risks, to formulate a code of conduct and to inform and involve the general public. It is therefore hardly surprising that the new technologies are portrayed as very promising and very beneficial in all important aspects. Nanomaterials are already widely applied in all kinds of consumer products, ranging from new chemicals and materials, to medicines, cosmetics, foods and electronics. Synthetic biology has not yet reached this stage, but will do so in a couple of years.
From the scientific world itself there is a call for caution. It is agreed that new technologies come with new risks and so far concerns about privacy, environmental health and safety and military and terrorist abuse have been identified. ETC-Group adds concerns about social disruption and biodiversity. These are major problems and the lack of NGO-participation in EU decision-making is a major concern in itself.
The objective of the workshop is to raise awareness of issues arising from these new technologies and to build a network of interested NGOs. Outcome: recommendations, priorities and a list of interested NGOs. Proceedings of the workshop
Programme
11.30. Introduction participants
11.40 Short Introduction to the workshop themes Maureen Butter, Platform Health and Environment/ ANPED
11.50 Synthetic Biology, what is it and why is it important? Jim Thomas, ETC-Group, Canada
12.25 Discussion about synthetic biology
13.00 Lunch break
14.00 Nanotechnology and food production Jurek Vengels/ Katja Vaupel, Bund, Germany
14.30 Discussion about nano
15.00 Other participants present what they are doing on nano and synthetic biology already (5 min per organisation), followed by discussion about what we can do, how we can cooperate, and what is needed in order to do so, positions that we are going to take and support.
16.00 Closing
Background Papers and further reading
New technologies, why bother?, Nanotechnology and synthetic biology
Presentation, Maureen E. Butter, Platform Health and Environment, the Netherlands and ANPED, the Northern Alliance for Sustainability
Principles for the Oversight of Nanotechnologies and Nanomaterials
The undersigned, a broad coalition of civil society, public interest, environmental and labor organizations concerned about various aspects of nanotechnology’s human health, environmental, social, ethical, and other impacts, submit the following Declaration, Principles for the Oversight of Nanotechnologies and Nanomaterials. Read More...
BUND Position “For the Responsible Management of Nanotechnology”
Resolution by the National Executive Committee on April 12, 2007, Helmut Horn, Wilfried Kühling
Today many technical fields of nanotechnology apply in a targeted manner new substances that
are smaller than 100 nanometres (nm) in size. The special and previously unknown properties
that these substances and materials possess at these scales can be used for many industrial
applications and products. For this reason, nanotechnology is already being used today in,
among others, cosmetics, medicines, food and electronic products. Read more...
