Life Sciences at COP26

As part of the preparation for EMBL’s new Programme to study life ‘in context’, it published a white paper on molecular biology’s role in the Green Recovery and attended COP26 as an Observer shortly afterwards.

Following in the footsteps of the Paris Climate Agreement, world leaders met at the UN Climate Change Conference 2021 – known as COP26 – to put forward their nations’ plans to tackle the climate crisis.

And for the first time, EMBL was there. 

EMBL attended this important conference as an official Observer, to raise awareness amongst other participants of the potential role life sciences, and molecular biology in particular, can play in tackling environmental issues. Prior to COP26, EMBL – along with other major US and European science laboratories – affirmed its shared commitment to uniting science towards a sustainable, resilient global society and economy.

In preparation for this event, EMBL also created a white paper titled ‘Harnessing molecular biology to accelerate the Green Recovery’. It spotlights promising molecular biology-based solutions to climate challenges. The paper followed a workshop EMBL hosted to explore this topic with other European molecular biologists. The White Paper was covered by media outlets across member states including Le Monde, Nature, Agencia SINC, and others, and featured on social media.

EMBL’s participation in European and global initiatives to address climate change challenges continues to increase. Since 2021, EMBL has also had a European Climate Pact Ambassador. The Ambassadors will engage people and organisations not yet involved in climate action and act as a bridge between the European Commission and their respective host organisations on these issues.