The Economist magazine focused favourably on the Earth Biogenome Project in its July 31st issue:
One ambitious proposal is the [EBP], a moonshot idea to sequence all the planet's eukaryotic life - that is, all plants, animals, fungi and so forth. This would help scientists uncover the hidden handiwork of evolution, monitor how endangered species respond to global warming, and mine genomes for useful biological compounds, such as antibiotics.
I currently serve on the the EBP's Ethical, Legal, and Social Implications Committee, and I welcome this recognition of this immensely worthwhile Project. The article is critical of the Nagoya Protocol on Access and Benefit-sharing of the Convention on Biological Diversity, suggesting that the Protocol impedes biodiversity research and the sharing of benefits from such research. For that reason, The Economist suggests scrapping the Protocol. However, like understanding a subject as complex as biodiversity, ditching the Protocol is far easier said than done!
