Many in community are looking for answers to the questions about the #science of #GeneticModification (GM). To help more people understand the evidence, today we are publishing a #Q&A that tackles some of the big questions. #auspol
Research by the Office of the Gene Technology Regulator (OGTR) has found knowledge about what foods in Australia are genetically modified is generally poor. A simple google search also demonstrates just how much conflicting & inaccurate information there is out there on GM.
Questions covered in the booklet include: What is GM? Are GM products safe? Where do we encounter GM products? The booklet draws on the knowledge & expertise of our Fellows and the Australian science community. Read the Q&A here: science.org.au/genetic-modifi…
The booklet looks at what people think of GM. OGTR research shows that 13% of Australians said they supported GM foods while 50% gave conditional support, which relied on a desire to be assured GM products are regulated or to know whether they have environmental/health benefits.
The international scientific consensus is that after 20 years of commercial use, GM technologies used to date pose no greater risk to human health or the environment than similar products derived from traditional breeding and selection processes.
Regulators are confident that the GM organisms and products approved so far are as safe as their conventional counterparts.
The release of the booklet comes as SA plans to lift its ban on growing GM crops on the mainland, and Tasmania extends its moratorium for another 10 years. Meanwhile the @Greens have moved to disallow proposed amendments to the Gene Technology Regulations 2019. #auspol
@Greens The Academy has written to the crossbench, Greens, Labor and Government MPs to indicate it does not support the disallowance motion, which is expected to come to a vote in the September sitting weeks. Read the letter here: science.org.au/files/userfile…
🌟CONGRATULATIONS to our new Fellows for 2023🌟
These 20 Fellows are among the Nation’s most distinguished scientists, elected by their peers for ground-breaking research & contributions that have had clear impact. The Fellowship now stands at 601 Fellows science.org.au/newfellows2023
What follows is a list of all new Fellows elected to the Academy in 2023.
“There is no greater professional honour than being recognised by your own peers and the leaders within your own field of research for your achievements.” – Prof Chennupati Jagadish AC PresAA #FellowsAA
Prof Tim Brodribb FAA is an evolutionary biologist addressing fundamental questions such as why leaves die during drought, why some plant species are more vulnerable to water stress than others, and how flowering plants evolved the capacity for rapid photosynthesis and growth. He… twitter.com/i/web/status/1…
The Academy welcomes the passing of the Safeguard Mechanism (Crediting) Amendment Bill, which creates safeguard mechanism credits and imposes a hard cap on emissions in Australia. #qt#auspol
This is a significant step towards reducing greenhouse gas emissions in Australia, but it cannot be the only solution. We must expand our toolkit to remove already released emissions from the atmosphere if Australia wants to make a meaningful contribution
A roundtable of experts convened by the Academy identified a range of novel greenhouse gas removal and storage approaches last year which must be considered in the broader discussion: science.org.au/news-and-event…#emissions
It shows Australia is continuing to warm & experience more frequent extreme weather events such as bushfires, droughts, and marine heatwaves.
But what's in Australia's future?
The report predicts:
- Global temperature rise to continue
- Sea level rise to continue
- Marine heatwaves to be more frequent and more intense
- Warmer with more heatwaves, fewer cool days
Tonight's host is @raejohnston, the science & technology editor at @NITV.
Our two #NAIDOC2020 events are hosted as part of our reconciliation action plan, which was launched last year. Read about our progress towards reconciliation: science.org.au/supporting-sci…
The National Research and Innovation Alliance, a body of organisations representing researchers across Australia, commit to the Principle of Universality (freedom and responsibility) of Science. #auspol
Peer review is widely regarded as the scientific seal of approval, denoting quality, validity, and importance.
Researchers will not consider a scientific finding as valid unless it has been approved by the process of peer review.