Good Day BIO: Intelligence community warns climate change threatens security – biotech can help.

If we don’t fight the war on climate change, we may have to fight a real war, warns the first-ever National Intelligence Estimate (NIE) on Climate Change. Here’s a closer look at the report—and the important role for biotech. 

The White House released four reports focusing on the need to prioritize climate in foreign policy and national security—including the first-ever such reports from all 18 intelligence community units and the Pentagon.

The NIE on Climate Change highlights three key risks:

• “Increased geopolitical tension as countries argue over who should be doing more, and how quickly, and compete in the ensuing energy transition.” “Most countries will face difficult economic choices and probably will count on technological breakthroughs to rapidly reduce their net emissions later.”
• “Cross-border geopolitical flashpoints from the physical effects of climate change as countries take steps to secure their interests.”
• Strains on “country-level stability in select countries and regions of concern.” The impact will be greatest in developing countries which will be “least able to adapt…creating additional demands on U.S. diplomatic, economic, humanitarian, and military resources.” 

The report highlights the role for biotech in the energy transition—calling for “investing in research, development, and deployment of low-carbon technologies for specific sectors that are hard to decarbonize” (such as transportation) and “enacting policies to incentivize renewable energy sources” (such as low-carbon fuel standards and tax credits). 

Additional reports released include:

• Department of Defense Climate Risk Analysis, the first-ever Pentagon report on risks of climate change in the effort to deter war and protect the country.
• Department of Homeland Security Strategic Framework to Address Climate Change, highlighting the importance of resilience, disaster readiness, and “incorporating climate science into strategy, policy, programs, and budgets,” with equity as a “guiding principle.”
• Report on the Impact of Climate Change on Migration, an important form of adaptation that must be “safe, orderly, and humane.”

The reports come ahead of COP26, the UN climate change conference considered “the world’s best last chance to get runaway climate change under control.” 

“We can’t have a discussion about addressing the climate crisis without focusing on both mitigation, and also adaptation,” said Beth Bechdol, Deputy Director-General of the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), while discussing the benefits of gene editing (H/T Agri-Pulse). “And in both of these areas, agroecology and also biotechnology practices have very important roles to play.”

Read more about biotech solutions for climate.

With global eradication of polio tantalizingly within reach, World Polio Day celebrates one of the world’s greatest vaccine success stories—and reminds us of the importance of routine vaccination.

Polio, which can lead to paralysis and death, is caused by a virus and spread by poor sanitation. Before the vaccine, it was frequently contracted by children, most of whom did not develop serious symptoms. 

In 1948, “miracle worker” Dr. Jonas Salk received a grant to study polio. By 1955, a successful vaccine was available, and by 1979, polio had been eradicated in the United States.

But as with COVID, the vaccine only works if people take it. Global vaccination efforts effectively eliminated polio everywhere except Pakistan, with 84 cases in 2020, and Afghanistan, with 56 cases last year. Unfortunately, post-Taliban takeover, Afghanistan faces multiple health crises—including risk of a polio resurgence.

There’s good news: Polio vaccination of children will resume in Afghanistan for the first time in three years on Nov. 8, and a campaign will begin in Pakistan in December, the Polio Eradication Initiative announced. The campaigns will reach millions of children, with a goal of complete eradication. 

“We’ve reduced cases by 99.9% since 1988,” says endpolio.org. “Unless we eradicate polio, within 10 years, as many as 200,000 new cases could occur around the world each year.” 

Sunday is World Polio Day—learn more, including events and how to help.

Read more about the importance of routine vaccinations.

More Health Care News: 

AZBio: Arizona’s launch of the NAM Pharma Manufacturing Report
AZBio discussed the importance of the biopharmaceutical industry in the state during the state launch of the National Association of Manufacturers (NAM) report, Ensuring a Health Future: The Impact and Importance of Pharmaceutical Manufacturing.

Scientists, doctors, researchers, investors. Patients and advocates. Parents, spouses, siblings, friends, even teenagers.

Last year, we launched the I am BIO campaign to tell the story of the biotechnology industry through the eyes of people making an impact every day.

Check out the I am BIO website to watch them tell their inspiring stories about why they are BIO.

You are BIO, too. Visit www.bio.org/iambio to learn more and share your story!

President Biden’s Friday: The White House COVID-19 Response Team will hold a briefing at 11:00 AM ET, then President Biden will head to Delaware for the weekend. 

What’s Happening on Capitol Hill: The New York Times has the latest on the outlook for Biden’s social policy agenda—and what it means for drug pricing.