This week, members of the International Union of Conservation of Nature, one of the world’s largest conservation groups, voted against a moratorium on the release of genetically engineered species into the wild in order to assist in conservation efforts – as well in favor of the use of synthetic biology – the technology used to alter or “edit” genetic material in living cells.

The two motions have drawn intense criticism from Indigenous-led groups and international organizations focused on agriculture, beekeeping, conservation, and biodiversity, who lobbied the International Union of Conservation of Nature, or IUCN, to impose the moratorium. A related motion, which would greenlight the use of synthetic biology for research, was approved in a vote.

At issue is the efficacy and ethical

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