Earlier this month, the Nuclear Threat Initiative gathered 100 international experts on biosafety for the 2021 Virtual Global Biosecurity Dialogue (GBD), the latest in an annual series of discussions on how best to maintain attention on and advance biosecurity across the world.
COVID-19 loomed large over this year’s proceedings, but its presence came with some hopeful notes as well: participants noted that significant progress had been made on biosecurity issues since last year, even in spite of lockdowns and pandemic fears. The Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention and the Caribbean Public Health Agency have initiated large scale regional initiatives to advance biosecurity. New tools and frameworks were at the heart of discussions this year as methods for reducing risks associated with biotechnology advances in research and technology development.
NTI reported that progress has likewise been made in terms of engagement. Communication with global leaders and lawmakers is turning attention toward funding and garnering political will to positively change global biosecurity efforts. Vulnerabilities and insufficiency remain, however, as showcased by many of the failures that have exacerbated the COVID-19 crisis — and experts did not rule out the possibility of an even more devastating biological event emerging in the future.
NTI intends to convene an even larger meeting in December, with a full convention of the GBD. There, experts will further discuss progress made and potential risks, and work to develop future actions to combat the latter.