Title: Biochemical security 2030 - towards improved science-based multilevel governance
Funder: Economic and Social Research Council

Abstract: It is increasingly clear that a major security concern in the area of low probability, high-impact events over coming decades will be that advances in life and associated sciences and technologies will enable the proliferation of chemical and biological weapons (CBW) to sub-state groups as well as to states. Furthermore, such weapons could be of novel types that the intended targets could not be easily defended against (Kelle, Nixdorff and Dando 2012). In response to these challenges the UK has played a leading role in enabling states parties to the Biological and Toxin Weapons Convention (BWC) and the Chemical Weapons Convention (CWC) to have specific measures available by which the chemical and biological prohibition regimes may be strengthened in order to reduce the threats form advances in science and technology (S&T) being misused for hostile purposes. Starting at the multilateral level, the key objective of this project is to help improve the operation of those aspects of the BWC and CWC by focussing on advances in synthetic biology, neuroscience, and nanotechnology, including advanced drug delivery techniques. It will build on longstanding research carried out under funding for example from the Wellcome Trust and the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, and will address primarily two themes of the research grant specification for proposals: - "Understanding how perceptions of S&T and its implications for defence and security vary across ... groups" [and] - "Improving our ability to use S&T to increase co-operation and collaboration as a means of preventing future conflict." Outputs from the project will feed directly - by means of briefing papers - to delegations in BWC meetings of experts and states parties in Geneva, and to experts and delegations in CWC meetings in The Hague, in 2013 and 2014. These papers plus additional relevant content will be made available to a wider audience on a dedicated project webpage. Analyses and findings of the briefing papers will be expanded upon in journal articles and a co-authored research monograph that will be submitted to a University press for publication. The primary focus of attention in the project will be to investigate how the work of the BWC and CWC can be improved so that effective action can be taken to more efficiently develop awareness, education and any necessary codes of conduct and oversight systems for biologists, chemists and other associated scientists whose benignly intended work could be subject to misuse by those with malign intent. Such efforts are particularly relevant in parts of the world where regulation may presently be weak such as those identified by the G8 Global Partnership. As many of the practical measures needed to achieve biochemical security are located at the domestic level, a second focus of the project will be on the establishment of a regional network of public and private research institutions and biotechnology companies active in the areas highlighted above that are located in the Southwest of the UK. The governance of biochemical security cannot rely exclusively on top down measures agreed upon at the international level, but needs to be complemented by efforts to involve those at the forefront at research in biology, chemistry and associated sciences, whose perceptions of S&T and its implications for defence and security can be expected to vary from those in government or academic security studies. This second strand of the project is thus focussing more on the theme of varying perceptions of the interrelation between science and security. Biochemical security across the different levels of governance will take several years to realise. Assuming a concerted effort towards achieving this goal is undertaken soon, this project views the year 2030 as a realistic target for achieving biochemical security.


Research activity codes: 8.3 POLICY, ETHICS AND RESEARCH GOVERNANCE
Health categories: GENERIC HEALTH RELEVANCE