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Future societal issues in industrial biotechnology.

Daan Schuurbiers¹, Patricia Osseweijer, Julian Kinderlerer

¹Delft University of Technology, Department of Biotechnology, Section on Biotechnology and Society, Delft, The Netherlands. d.schuurbiers@tudelft.nl

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Summary

Stakeholder meetings identified key societal issues in industrial biotechnology, recommending a roadmap for a bio-based economy and enhanced public engagement strategies for future technologies.

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Area of Science:

Industrial biotechnology
Bio-based economy
Societal impact of technology

Background:

The Kluyver Center for Genomics of Industrial Fermentation organized international meetings to address future challenges in industrial biotechnology.
The goal was to foster a coordinated strategy for public dialogue on emerging technologies.

Purpose of the Study:

To identify future societal issues in industrial biotechnology.
To develop a coordinated strategy for public dialogue on these issues.
To inform policy and research directions for a sustainable bio-based economy.

Main Methods:

Convening three international stakeholder meetings.
Facilitating discussions among science, industry, and policymakers.
Synthesizing recommendations from diverse stakeholders.

Main Results:

Five unanimous recommendations were formulated.
These include creating a bio-based economy roadmap, initiating policy-focused roundtables, and stimulating public engagement.
Further social studies on public attitudes and operationalizing sustainability were also recommended.

Conclusions:

A coordinated strategy involving science, industry, and policymakers is crucial for a bio-based economy.
Enhanced public engagement and social studies are vital for navigating technological futures.
Operationalizing sustainability must be central to R&D and policy-making in industrial biotechnology.