Abstract
The field of synthetic biology is increasingly being positioned as a key driver of a more sustainable, bio-based economy, and has seen rapid industry growth over the past 15 years. In this paper we undertake an exploratory investigation of the relationship between sustainability and synthetic biology, identifying and analyzing sustainability-related language on the public websites of 24, US-based synthetic biology companies. We observe that sustainability is a visible part of the self-presentation of the nascent synthetic biology industry, explicitly mentioned by 18 of the 24 companies. The dominant framing of sustainability on these company websites emphasizes environmental gains and “free-market” approaches to sustainability, with little explicit mention of social dimensions of sustainability such as access, justice or intergenerational equity. Furthermore, the model of sustainability presented focuses on incremental transition towards environmental sustainability through direct substitution of products and processes using bioengineered alternatives (n = 16 companies), with no change in societal consumption or policy frameworks required in order to see sustainability gains. One-third of the companies analyzed (n = 8) mention “nature” on their websites, variously framing it as a resource to be managed or as a source of inspiration; whether the latter signals a potentially more complex relationship with nature than advanced free-market models of sustainability remains to be seen. As the synthetic biology industry begins to grow in size and visibility, we suggest this is an opportune time for the community to engage in explicit deliberation about its approach to sustainability.
Highlights
Synthetic biology is a 21st-century approach to genetic engineering focused on developing infrastructure and know-how for the systematic design and construction of genetic components, circuits, and organisms to carry out specific functions
As the synthetic biology industry reports record levels of investment [10, 11] and its products are beginning to appear on the market [12], there is excitement regarding its prospects for contributing to the development of an increasingly bio-based economy
While it is natural that the heterogeneity in public sustainability discourse broadly is reflected within this nascent industry, we suggest the synthetic biology community can play a leadership role in grappling explicitly with the particular characterizations of sustainability it wishes to emphasize, and the actions it will adopt in pursuit of these goals
Summary
Synthetic biology is a 21st-century approach to genetic engineering focused on developing infrastructure (tools, methods, platforms) and know-how for the systematic design and construction of genetic components, circuits, and organisms to carry out specific functions. It is being presented as enabling transformative advances across the biotechnology sector, including in food and agriculture [1, 2], drug and vaccine discovery and production [3, 4], material. Exploring presentations of sustainability by US synthetic biology companies sciences [5, 6], and data storage [7]. A key ambition associated with the bioeconomy across many national bioeconomy strategies is achieving more environmentally conscious, sustainable growth and development through innovation using (renewable) biological resources [13, 15, 16]
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