Good Day BIO: How biotech's battling methane

Two-dozen new countries joined the U.S., EU, and other signatories in the Global Methane Pledge to reduce methane emissions 30% from 2020 levels by 2030—but to reach the goal, we’ll need biotechnology.

Pledge signatories now include nine of the top 20 methane emitters, “representing about 30% of global methane emissions and 60% of the global economy,” a joint U.S.-EU statement said. The initiative will officially launch at the U.N. Climate Summit in Glasgow, which starts Oct. 31.

While it dissipates more quickly than carbon dioxide, methane is a greenhouse gas and the biggest cause of climate change after CO2. Major sources of methane are energy production, distribution, and use; agriculture; and waste management.

Cattle are the source of one-third of the methane emissions in the U.S., according to the EPA. The main culprit is natural enteric fermentation, which takes place in a cow’s stomach, causing them to belch methane. 

Innovative biotech solutions being developed to tackle it, including feed additives that reduce methane in cattle and enzymes that enhance the digestibility of energy, protein, and phosphorus in livestock. 

But one holdup in the United States is the fact the FDA treats feed additives as “drugs,” which means approval can take 3-5 years. The EU, in contrast, allows fast-track approval of feed additives that “favorably affect the environmental consequences of animal production.” 

BIO has called for streamlined approval of these additives, in comments to the USDA and in policy recommendations we support as a member of the Food and Agriculture Climate Alliance. Bipartisan support is growing in the Senate. 

Read: Supporting U.S. Food & Agriculture Innovation & Climate Objectives

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Following the takeover by the Taliban in August, there are many yet unanswered questions about how Afghanistan will approach key public health issues, including COVID-19, polio, and women’s rights. We took a closer look at where things stand.

The COVID-19 response in Afghanistan was worrisome even before the Taliban takeover—but now it’s substantially worse. Since the Taliban took power, nearly 1 in 4 hospitals treating the illness have been shuttered and COVID-19 immunizations fell 80%.

And polio might make a comeback. Afghanistan is one of only two countries in the world where polio remains endemic—but notably, there had been only one case of wild poliovirus reported this year in Afghanistan versus 56 in 2020. 

But if the country’s health infrastructure falls apart, these gains risk being undone, according to the UN. 

Meanwhile, over the past 20 years, women’s rights had made great progress in Afghanistan, but under Taliban rule, this progress is already being undone.

This has dire implications for women’s health: The UN Population Fund (UNFPA) estimates there could be “51,000 additional maternal deaths, 4.8 million unintended pregnancies, and a near doubling of the unmet need for family planning between now and 2025.” 

There is much uncertainty for the Afghan people as they enter this new phase for their country. As of September, more than $1 billion was pledged in aid. Hopefully, this aid will allow for the Afghan health care system to provide women’s health services and tackle both COVID-19 and polio. 

Read the whole thing.

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Endpoints News: As TRIPS council meets, the IP waiver for vaccines is on life support ahead of a December deadline
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Dr. Ellen Ochoa was the first Hispanic woman to travel to space as well as the first Hispanic (and second female) director of the Johnson Space Center. Ochoa is the recipient of NASA’s highest award, the Distinguished Service Medal, as well as a Fellow of the American Association of the Advancement of Sciences (AAAS).

Meet more Hispanic and Latinx scientists and innovators you should know.

President Biden’s Thursday: After a briefing from the COVID-19 Response Team, delivering public remarks on the COVID response. Biden is reported to be preparing for a mandate requiring private workers to have COVID vaccines or undergo regular tests. 

What’s Happening on Capitol Hill: The House Committee on Science, Space, and Technology will hold a hearing on improving forecasting to manage extreme weather events. The Senate is in recess.