Who
Emerging genetic technologies are being developed by researchers at universities, institutes, and companies.
Why
Climate applications for mitigation, adaptation, and monitoring change
What
This is an active area of research with some new tools already in field trials and many more under development. We are collecting a list of technologies below. This list provides a starting point to see some examples and is non-comprehensive. For now, our list focuses on mitigation and adaptation technologies and is roughly organized with technology deployed now at the top, followed by technologies in various stages of development.
Example climate biotechnologies
- Agricultural crops for drought resistance
Engineering biology for more sustainable manufacturing of fuels, materials, consumer products, and food or food additives
Trees for enhanced carbon capture
- Agricultural crops for enhanced carbon capture
Soil microbes with crops for enhanced carbon capture
- Agricultural crop roots resistant to decomposition
- Microbes in livestock feed to reduce methane emissions
- Microalgae for enhanced carbon capture
Microbes for enhanced methane capture
- Microbes to enhance natural rock weathering for carbon capture
Soil microbes for enhanced wildfire resilience
Native grasses for drought, heat, invasive plants and pest pressures
Agricultural crops for drought resistance
Climate application: Adaptation
Area of application: Food, Agriculture, Forestry
Stage of development: Deployment
Description: Genetically engineered agricultural plants with enhanced water uptake from soils and enhanced conversion of water into plant matter. Drought resistant corn became widely available between 2011-2013. Early stage development continues for other agricultural plant types and for combinations of drought resistance with other disease and pest resistance traits.
Engineering biology for more sustainable manufacturing of fuels, materials, consumer products, food and food additives
Climate application: Mitigation via sustainable use and reuse of resources
Area of application: Food, cosmetics, fuel, manufacturing
Stage of development: Some in deployment, others in earlier development
Description: Creating bio-based products and processes that minimize environmental impacts
Trees for enhanced carbon capture
Climate application: Mitigation via biosequestration of greenhouse gases (reduction of carbon oxides)
Area of application: Food, Agriculture, Forestry
Stage of development: Field Trials
Description: Trees are genetically modified to grow faster by enhanced photosynthesis and therefore capture and store (while alive) more carbon. Field trials of Living Carbon poplar trees are occurring in Oregon and Georgia.
Agricultural crops for enhanced carbon capture
Climate application: Mitigation via biosequestration of greenhouse gases (reduction of carbon oxides)
Area of application: Food, Agriculture, Forestry
Stage of development: Early
Description: Genetically engineered agricultural plants to enhance photosynthesis and therefore capture and store (while alive) more carbon
Agricultural crops for resistance to decomposition
Climate application: Mitigation via biosequestration of greenhouse gases (reduction of carbon oxides)
Area of application: Food, Agriculture, Forestry
Stage of development: Early
Description: Genetically engineered agricultural plants to change the biological composition of roots to be less easily decomposed (recalcitrance)
Soil microbes with crops for enhanced carbon capture
Climate application: Mitigation via biosequestration of greenhouse gases (reduction of carbon oxides)
Area of application: Food, Agriculture, Forestry
Stage of development: Early
Description: A combined approach of genetically engineered agricultural plants and associated soil microbes to enhance carbon capture and storage (via soil carbon retention)
Microbes in livestock feed for reducing methane emissions
Climate application: Mitigation via reduction of greenhouse gases (methane)
Area of application: Food, Agriculture, Forestry
Stage of development: Early
Description: Genetically engineered microbes in animal feed to reduce methane emissions of livestock animals
Microalgae (cyanobacteria) for enhanced carbon capture
Climate application: Mitigation via biosequestration of greenhouse gases (reduction of carbon oxides)
Area of application: Oceans, Aquaculture
Stage of development: Early
Description: Genetically engineered microalgae for enhanced photosynthesis leading to more carbon capture (while alive)
Microbes for enhanced methane capture
Climate application: Mitigation via biosequestration of greenhouse gases (reduction of methane)
Area of application: Materials Production & Industrial Processes
Stage of development: Early
Description: Genetically engineered bacteria to enhance methane capture by industrial reaction chambers at point sources with high methane emissions
Microbes to enhance natural rock weathering for carbon capture
Climate application: Mitigation via acceleration of process to capture carbon dioxide when rock breaks down
Area of application: Agriculture, Mining waste, carbon dioxide removal
Stage of development: Early
Description: Enhanced rock weathering involves accelerating the natural process by which rock breaks down, and in the process capturing and storing atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO2). This can be done by spreading out silicate rocks on agricultural land but there is also research underway to find bacteria that can help speed up the process, bioweathering.
Native grasses for drought, heat, invasive plants and pest pressures
Climate application: Adaptation
Area of application: Conservation & wild spaces
Stage of development: Early
Description: Genetically engineered native grasses to grow in extreme conditions (heat, drought, invasive organisms), increase carbon capture, decrease soil erosion, and increase water concentration and quality
Soil microbes for enhanced wildfire resilience
Climate application: Adaptation
Area of application: Conservation & wild spaces
Stage of development: Early
Description: Genetically engineered soil amendment to decrease risk of soil sterilization from heat and enable fast plant growth after fires
What are we missing?
Is your favorite emerging genetic technology with a climate application not listed here yet? This page is an ongoing work-in-progress, please contribute your curiosity and knowledge to help us improve and build resources that serve you well.
