Green Genetic Engineering

The technology of genetic scissors is revolutionizing plant breeding with far-reaching effects for use in agriculture. Improved resilience of plants, higher crop yields and reduced use of pesticides could lead to a lower environmental impact, reduce costs for farmers and thus contribute to sustainable global food security.
At the same time, the potential use of this technology is accompanied by controversial debates, which have gained new momentum, not least due to the EU Commission's planned reform to change the way genetic engineering is handled in agriculture. Critics fear negative effects on biodiversity, such as the displacement of natural species or the emergence of superweeds and pests that are resistant to genetically modified plants.

Panel discussion with
•    Andreas Bachmair (Max F. Perutz Laboratories, Department for Biochemistry, University of Vienna)
•    Franz Fischler (Former EU Commissioner, Franz Fischler Consult)
•    Karen Kastenhofer (Institute of Technology Assessment, Austrian Academy of Sciences)
•    Petra Gruber (University of Applied Arts Vienna)

Moderation: Judith Belfkih

The lecture is carried out by the non-profit Kaiserschild-Stiftung, the Postgraduate Center of the University of Vienna and the University of Applied Arts Vienna.