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Society, Religion and Technology Project

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Church of Scotland

Looking at the ethics of technology for a New Millennium

Director : Dr Donald Bruce


SRT Project Report to the
2001 Church of Scotland General Assembly

Contents

 1. SRT at Large
2. Cloning and Stem cells
3. Genetic Modification Update
4. Climate change, Fuel Prices : What Your Congregation can do

SRT's special report : GM Animals, Humans and the Future of Genetics

1. SRT at Large

The SRT Project's work is mission to the world of science and technology, seeking to be a Christian presence amongst the places where key issues in technology are discussed and decided. SRT's long term and much respected work in the field of biotechnology has now borne fruit in access to places of influence on genetic modification in crops and animals, cloning, stem cells, and related issues. What were once technical questions decided among experts behind closed doors are now public issues, widely debated. In 1992 SRT made a submission to the Government saying that the future of such sensitive areas of science lies in putting the ethical aspects high on the agenda and opening up technology policy to public engagement. Following the BSE crisis, GM food and cloning controversies, a landmark House of Lords' report on science and society indicates the Government's belated recognition of what SRT has been saying for many years. A new climate of openness exists which is giving SRT unparalleled opportunities to engage.

The Director has become a member of the Biotechnology Research Council's advisory committee on public attitudes. He was an invited observer to the Global Summit of National Bioethics Commissions and the UNESCO Bioethics Committee, and an invited speaker at international meetings of the OECD, Human Genome Project, the Society for Risk Analysis. At Biovision 2001 Dr Bruce was asked to address a major international gathering of researchers and industry on the ethical dimension of the future of biotechnology, citing SRT as a model. He has also made frequent appearances in national media, including the BBC, STV and Channel 4 news bulletins, Newsnight, the Today Programme, Good Morning Scotland, the Moral Maze and Hypotheticals.

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2. Cloning and Stem cells

SRT became involved with emerging in the early development of the cloning issues through its genetic engineering working group and ongoing contacts with the Roslin Institute. This position placed it at the forefront of ethical and political discussion when the applications of cloning and embryonic stem cells became national and international issues. Because of its continuing close engagement with the cloning research community, Government departments, and national ethical bodies, SRT has been given many opportunities to give a Christian view to these organisations at the highest levels, and was twice invited to address MP's at the House of Commons. It has earned a rare position of trust and respect, both as to the understanding of the science and the ethics. This impact was seen in the Chief Medical Officer's report on human stem cells and embryonic cloning published in August 2000, 1 which at several points responds to specific issues highlighted in the joint submission SRT made with the Board of Social Responsibility. 2

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3. Genetic Modification Update

A report to the Assembly on the interface of GM animals and humans is given as an Appendix. Earthscan have asked SRT to produce a second edition of its report on genetic engineering in non-human species "Engineering Genesis" for autumn 2001. The working group has reconvened to update it to reflect the important changes on GM food, risk, ecology and Third World aspects since 1998. The Director has chaired a study on GM foods for the Evangelical Alliance, to be published by Paternoster later in 2001.

Genetically modified food trials in Scotland have provoked widely varying local responses. Strong opposition in the Black Isle in August contrasted with more equivocal reactions in Inverurie. In talking to groups around Scotland on GM food, the SRT Director's impression is less of outright opposition as a desire for independent information about GM which people can trust, and make up their own minds. One reason given for the especial Black Isle concern is the perceived damage to the marketing image of "pure" Highland foods. This is a fear largely based on a connotation of "GM", but it is only meaningful if there really is some significant health or ecological risk from the particular GMO's. That is what the trials are intended to help show. It is surely more important to get to the truth of the matter, one way or the other. A similar effect was also seen in press and NGO comment on the accidental mixing of GM and non-GM oil seeds in a batch from Canada. It was described with words like contamination, tainted crops and genetic pollution, almost as though the gene was radioactive waste. In contrast English Nature said that the risk that a viable species would result was extremely low. Scottish experts say small amounts of gene flow may occur with some GM crops, but to present this as "pollution" is only valid if it causes an actual, signficant ecological harm. This is the reason for holding field trials, albeit they will not answer all the questions. The alternative is to decide no GM risk is tenable, regardless of whether it was genuine.

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4. Climate change, Fuel Prices : What Your Congregation can do

Three events in autumn 2000 tell an eloquent story about climate change. Record rainfall, floods and storms across Europe brought home the reality that we are indeed changing the climate, but inter-governmental talks in The Hague collapsed. They failed to agree how to implement even a few percent reductions in carbon dioxide emissions which are almost irrelevant by comparison with the necessary 60% reduction which the Royal Commission on Environmental Pollution earlier in the year eloquently spelt out. One implication is that we are paying far too little for our petrol, because the price at the pump fails to include the climatic, pollution and health damage our cars are causing. The Government increased fuel taxes in part to reflect this, but then defaulted on their promises by failing to ring fence the revenues for the environment. The population could not see any benefits accruing from the increased prices, and not surprisingly this led to the fuel price revolt, encouraging the worst in our instincts at the very point when the Government could have put down a marker to encourage responsibility and altruism.

This is all the more reason for the churches to take a lead in environmental action, as a witness that faith in God can give people the motivation to go the extra mile to care for his creation. The Eco-Congregation scheme, launched in Scotland on 28 March 2001, now provides congregations with the impetus and the resources to find ways locally to practise what we preach about stewarding the environment. Congregations all over Scotland are urged to join the scheme and make a difference, and make care for God's creation at the heart of our worship and our lives.

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Deliverance (i.e. Motions)

That the General Assembly ...
9. Urge HM Government to increase its efforts to combat climate change and to ring fence fuel tax revenues for environmental remediation, promoting energy saving and renewable energy use, public transport and rural infrastructure.

10. Welcome the launch of the Eco-Congregation initiative in Scotland and urge all congregations to take part in the scheme.

References

1 Ministry of Health (2000) Stem Cell Research: Medical Progress with Responsibility, Report of the Chief Medical Officer's Expert Group (Donaldson Report), HMSO: London

2 Church of Scotland (1999) Submission to the Chief Medical Officer's Expert Group on Cloning(CEGC), October 1999, Society, Religion and Technology Project and the Board of Social Responsibility, Church of Scotland, Edinburgh.

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