The use of genetic engineering is a hot topic in Swiss politics. Switzerland has banned genetic engineering in agriculture for 16 years. But now Parliament wants to relax this ban. The so-called Crispr/Cas gene scissors should be approved in the future because there are fewer risks with such new genetic engineering methods. The Federal Council must prepare a design for a corresponding model by mid-2024 at the latest.
The Federal Ethics Commission does not think this is a good idea. New genetic engineering methods such as Crispr/Cas would not make a significant contribution to the adaptation of Swiss agriculture to climate change, the committee writes in a report presented Monday.
Genetic engineering brings too little
A clear majority of the Commission believes that in the short time available it is “quite unlikely” that the new genetic engineering processes can make a decisive contribution to securing or increasing crop yields.
The Crispr/Cas method can be used to precisely modify the genome of cells. For example, Scottish researchers have modified the genes of pigs in such a way that they are resistant to certain diseases.
Agriculture has more CO. required2 save
The Commission also calls on agriculture to do more to reduce greenhouse gas emissions than currently considered. It is “ethically unsatisfactory” that the Swiss climate strategy sets a much lower reduction target for agriculture than, for example, for industry and housing.
According to the federal strategy, agriculture and food must reduce their greenhouse gas emissions by 40 percent by 2050.
Less meat, more vegetables
Technologies that affect the atmosphere CO2 the commission writes that they are probably not efficient enough to offset emissions that cannot be reduced.
Therefore, from her point of view, there is “nothing to avoid” to increase the reduction target in agriculture. In addition, the number of animals should be “significantly reduced and more plant-based foods grown for humans,” notes the ethics committee. That means: the Swiss population should eat less meat and other animal products – and instead put more vegetables on the menu. (SDA/bgs)