Synthetic Biology Considerations in Synthetic Biology Considerations - - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

Applications for and Security Aspects of Synthetic Biology, Applications for and Security Aspects of Synthetic Biology, 7 7-

• 8 March, 2013, Hong Kong

8 March, 2013, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of the Special Administrative Region of the People's Republic of China People's Republic of China

Dana Perkins, PhD Dana Perkins, PhD 1540 Committee Expert 1540 Committee Expert

Synthetic Biology Considerations in

Implementation of Security Council Resolution 1540

Synthetic Biology Considerations in Synthetic Biology Considerations in

Implementation of Security Council Resolution 1540 Implementation of Security Council Resolution 1540

Synthetic Biology Risks Synthetic Biology Risks

“…By reducing the time to go from concept to application, synthetic biology has the potential to

complicate interdiction efforts complicate interdiction efforts.

The boundaries between defensive and

boundaries between defensive and

• ffensive research and development may
• ffensive research and development may

also be further blurred also be further blurred by a generic capacity

to model, design, create, and optimize biological technology, and the exact motives are hard to pinpoint. Traditionally, there are also connections between state weapons programs and terrorist capabilities, and the possibility of non

the possibility of non-

• state

state actors acquiring weapons from a state actors acquiring weapons from a state cannot be ruled out cannot be ruled out…”

Synthetic Biology Challenges Synthetic Biology Challenges

“… The ability to synthesize bioagents as well as possibilities offered by nanotechnology to facilitate the development of effective bioweapons further complicate existing non

complicate existing non-

• proliferation and export control

proliferation and export control efforts efforts intended to constrain access to, and

proliferation of, dangerous pathogens and relevant dual-use technologies. The implications of advances in bio- and nanotechnology for the development of new weapons as well as the consequences of the ability to engineer bioweapons as desired could pose a singular challenge to current

challenge to current arms control norms & arms control norms & instruments instruments…”

Resolution 1540 (2004): A Response to Threats Resolution 1540 (2004): A Response to Threats to International Peace and Security to International Peace and Security

• Adopted by the Security Council on 28 April

2004 under Chapter VII of the UN Charter which affirms that the proliferation of nuclear, chemical and biological

biological weapons and

their means of delivery constitutes a threat to i n t e r n a t i o n a l p e a c e a n d s e c u r i t y

• Obliges States, inter alia, to refrain from

supporting by any means non

non-

• State

State actors actors from developing, acquiring,

manufacturing, possessing, transporting, transferring or using nuclear, chemical or biological weapons and their delivery systems

Action with Respect to Threats To the Peace, Action with Respect to Threats To the Peace, Breaches of the Peace, and Acts of Breaches of the Peace, and Acts of Aggression Aggression

Article 39 Article 39

The Security Council shall The Security Council shall determine the existence of any determine the existence of any threat to the peace, breach of the threat to the peace, breach of the peace, or act of aggression and peace, or act of aggression and shall make recommendations, or shall make recommendations, or decide what measures shall be decide what measures shall be taken taken… … to maintain or restore international peace and security.

Article 41 Article 41

The Security Council may decide what measures not involving the use of armed force are to be employed to give effect to its decisions, and it may call upon it may call upon the Members of the United Nations the Members of the United Nations to apply such measures to apply such measures…

UN Charter, Chapter VII, Articles 39 UN Charter, Chapter VII, Articles 39-

• 51

51

National legislation on prohibitions (OP.1 & 2) Domestic controls and enforcement (OP. 3a & 3b)

• Accounting for, securing, physical protection
• Border controls
• Export and trans-shipment controls

Assistance (OP. 7) Promotion & implementation of multilateral

treaties (OP. 8)

Promotion of dialogue & cooperation (OP. 9 & 10) Reporting (OP. 4)

Resolution 1540 (2004) Resolution 1540 (2004)-

• Highlights

Highlights

OP = Operative Paragraph of Resolution 1540 (2004)

• The Committee established pursuant to para. 4 of res. 1540 (2004) is known as

the the 1540 Committee 1540 Committee

• The 1540 Committee is a subsidiary body of the Security Council
• Chair:

Chair: ROK; Vice Vice-

• Chairs:

Chairs: Azerbaijan, Luxembourg, & UK; Members: Members: Argentina, Azerbaijan, Australia, China, France, Guatemala, Luxembourg, Morocco, Pakistan, ROK, Russia, Rwanda, Togo, UK, & US

• The current Group of Experts

Group of Experts was established per resolutions 1977 (2011)

and 2055 (2012) “ “to assist the Committee in carrying out its mandate to assist the Committee in carrying out its mandate…” …”

The 1540 Committee The 1540 Committee The 1540 Committee

Ambassador Kim Sook 1540 Committee Chairman The 54th formal meeting of the 1540 Committee, 20 February 2013

The The 1540 Committee and its Experts 1540 Committee and its Experts

• Receive and examine reports

Receive and examine reports to to monitor

monitor implementation implementation

• Promote greater awareness

Promote greater awareness

• f UNSCR 1540, including by
• f UNSCR 1540, including by
• utreach and dialogue
• utreach and dialogue

with Member States with Member States

• Facilitate capacity

Facilitate capacity building and building and assistance assistance by providing a

by providing a “ “clearing house clearing house” ” function function

• Tools:

Tools:

• National matrices
• Template for assistance

requests

• 1540 Committee website
• Ways and Means:

Ways and Means:

• Cooperation with other
• rganizations
• Outreach events
• Country visits

http://www.un.org/sc/1540 http://www.un.org/sc/1540

Resolution 1540 (2004): Binding Resolution 1540 (2004): Binding Obligations on All UN Member States Obligations on All UN Member States

Security Council Meets on Non-Proliferation of Weapons of Mass Destruction UN Photo / Eskinder Debebe, 28 April 2004

Resolution 1540 (2004) imposes binding obligations on all States to adopt legislation to prevent the proliferation of nuclear, chemical and biological weapons

biological weapons, and their

means of delivery, and establish appropriate

establish appropriate domestic controls over related materials domestic controls over related materials to

prevent their illicit trafficking. It also encourages enhanced i n t e r n a t i o n a l c o o p e r a t i o n i n t e r n a t i o n a l c o o p e r a t i o n

• n s u c h e f f o r t s .

Definitions for the purpose of Definitions for the purpose of resolution 1540 (2004) resolution 1540 (2004)

• Means of delivery:

Means of delivery: missiles, rockets and other

unmanned systems capable of delivering nuclear, chemical,

• r biological weapons, that are specially designed for such

use.

• Non

Non-

• State actor:

State actor: individual or entity, not acting under the

lawful authority of any State in conducting activities which come within the scope of this resolution.

• Related materials:

Related materials: materials, equipment and technology covered by covered by relevant multilateral treaties and relevant multilateral treaties and arrangements, or included on national control arrangements, or included on national control lists lists, which could be used for the design, development,

production or use of nuclear, chemical and biological weapons and their means of delivery

Biological agents under the BWC and Biological agents under the BWC and resolution 1540 (2004) resolution 1540 (2004)

• Almost any disease

Almost any disease-

• causing organism

causing organism (such as bacteria,

(such as bacteria, viruses, fungi, prions or rickettsiae) or toxin (poisons derived viruses, fungi, prions or rickettsiae) or toxin (poisons derived from animals, from animals, plants or microorganisms, or similar substances synthetically pr plants or microorganisms, or similar substances synthetically produced) can

• duced) can

be used in biological weapons be used in biological weapons” ” -

• Biological Weapons Convention (BWC)

Biological Weapons Convention (BWC) – –

• As implied in

As implied in Article I of the BWC

Article I of the BWC, which forbids states parties

, which forbids states parties to develop, produce, stockpile, or otherwise acquire or retain to develop, produce, stockpile, or otherwise acquire or retain “ “microbial or other biological agents, or toxins whatever their o microbial or other biological agents, or toxins whatever their origin or rigin or method of production, of types and in purposes method of production, of types and in purposes” ”, , the treaty

the treaty applies to biological agents and toxins that are applies to biological agents and toxins that are synthetically produced or modified synthetically produced or modified

• Similarly, such biological agents and toxins fall under the defi

Similarly, such biological agents and toxins fall under the definition of nition of “ “related materials

related materials”

” for the purpose of for the purpose of resolution 1540

resolution 1540

The 1540 Matrix: The 1540 Matrix:

Opportunity to Capture Information from Member States Opportunity to Capture Information from Member States

• n Synthetic Biology Governance
• n Synthetic Biology Governance
• Information originates primarily from

national reports and is complemented by official government information, including that made available to intergovernmental organizations

• The matrix template has 382 “fields”

covering national activities related to the 1540 operative paragraphs

• The national matrices are prepared by

the 1540 Committee

• National matrices are used as a

reference tool for facilitating technical assistance and the Committee’s constructive dialogue with States on their implementation of resolution 1540

http://www.un.org/en/sc/1540/national http://www.un.org/en/sc/1540/national-

• implementation/1540

implementation/1540-

• matrix/committee

matrix/committee-

• approved

approved-

• matrices.shtml

matrices.shtml

Domestic control of BW Domestic control of BW-

• related materials &

related materials & means of delivery (OP 3 a & b) means of delivery (OP 3 a & b)* *

• Measures to account for / secure production, use,

production, use, storage, and transport storage, and transport

• Regulations for physical protection of facilities /

facilities / materials / transports materials / transports

• Licensing/registration of facilities / people

facilities / people

handling biological materials

• Reliability check of personnel

personnel

• Measures to account for / secure / physically protect

means of delivery means of delivery

• Regulations for genetic engineering work

genetic engineering work

• Other legislation / regulations related to safety and

safety and security of biological materials security of biological materials * 1540 matrix fields

Synthetic Biology : “genetic engineering

• n steroids”

Synthetic Biology : Synthetic Biology : “ “genetic genetic engineering engineering

• n steroids
• n steroids”

”

Game Changer: Game Changer: The Impact of New Technologies The Impact of New Technologies

“…Advances in synthetic biology also have the potential to be a double

double-

• edged sword

edged sword and become a source of

lethal weaponry… Such advances not only contribute to opportunities for exploring increasingly novel and valuable applications, they also raise the risk for unintended and

raise the risk for unintended and intentional dual intentional dual-

• use developments

use developments to occur. Absent efforts to strengthen regulatory Absent efforts to strengthen regulatory frameworks to proactively manage risks, the frameworks to proactively manage risks, the greater access to synthetic biology increases greater access to synthetic biology increases chances of the development and use of chances of the development and use of bioweaponry by individuals or terrorist groups bioweaponry by individuals or terrorist groups

• r release unintentionally of dangerous
• r release unintentionally of dangerous

material through material through “ “bioerror bioerror…” …”

http://globaltrends2030.files.wordpress.com/2012/12/global-trends-2030-november2012.pdf Note: this report was drafted by the US National Intelligence Council based

• n meetings with

international experts in close to 20 countries at the invitation of governments, businesses, universities, or think tanks

Requests for Assistance (RFAs) Requests for Assistance (RFAs)

All RFAs correspondence should be sent to: All RFAs correspondence should be sent to: Chairman of 1540 Committee Secretariat of the 1540 Committee 730 Third Avenue, TB-08040E United Nations, New York, NY 10017 Fax: 212-963-1300, Email: sc sc-

• 1540

1540-

• Committee@un.org

Committee@un.org

…

http://www.un.org/sc/1540 http://www.un.org/sc/1540

“ “The 1540 Committee has a key The 1540 Committee has a key role to play in ensuring that the role to play in ensuring that the world is a safe place and in world is a safe place and in allowing people in every country allowing people in every country to pursue their lives free of fear to pursue their lives free of fear

• f catastrophic attack by
• f catastrophic attack by

non non-

• State actors

State actors…” …”

The UN Secretary General, Ban Ki-Moon Remarks at dinner hosted by the Permanent Representative of Saudi Arabia

• n the occasion of the high-level event on

Security Council resolution 1540 (2004) New York, 10 December 2012

Dana Perkins, PhD Dana Perkins, PhD

1540 Committee Expert 1540 Committee Expert United Nations United Nations 300 East 42 300 East 42nd

nd St., Suite IN

St., Suite IN-

• 03074H

03074H Tel: +1 (917) 367 6023 (office) Tel: +1 (917) 367 6023 (office) E E-

• mail:

mail: perkinsd@un.org perkinsd@un.org

Contact information: Contact information: