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Causality in Biology Conference
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WHAT CAUSES WHAT IN LIFE? Explaining today's major challenges
A public conference about the riddles of cause and effect
Friday 26 and Saturday 27 November 2021 – Bern on site and online
The COVID crisis, endocrine disrupting substances, genetically engineered organisms, climate change, etc.: all major challenges of today demand our understanding. Science does its best to oblige – yet is often criticised about its attempts. The understanding of 'causes' is at the core of scientific investigations and of public policy. It underlies all current efforts to face the big ecosystemic challenges. But upon closer inspection, it exposes widely different views of what causes what.
Eight scientists will share their views with the audience in the two-day public conference "Context, Causality and Consequences". One of the speakers is Denis Noble, author of "Dance to the tune of life: Biological relativity" and other books revolutionising our view of organisms and genomes. Much time is allotted to questions and discussion with the audience.
Fierce discussion regularly arises around different evaluations of the 'same' evidence. What underlies these different evaluations? One may ask what the biological influencers of causality are. Is it about material entities (e.g. genes), or also about interactions, relationships, and context (from subcellular to ecological)? What causes habituation and learning, and in which way do these influence the appearance of causality (in gene expression, disease and other phenomena)? What do we mean when we call something a cause: is it a 'difference-maker', a mechanism, a disposition? What other factors does it need to achieve its 'effect'?
Physics has framed and justified causality in robust and unifying 'conservation principles' (energy, momentum etc.). In biology and ecology, it is much more problematic to understand and verify supposed causal relations. Sources of disagreement and confusion – not just in science, but also in policy – are implicit paradigms and assumptions, different types of argumentation, value based choices, outright dogmas and disciplinary conventions of toxicologists, endocrinologists, epidemiologists, biologists, ecologists and lawyers.
Organised by European Network of Scientists for Social and Environmental Responsibility, Critical Scientists Switzerland, Mariolopoulos-Kanaginis Foundation for the Environmental Sciences & Association des amis de la génération Thunberg
Agroecology Workshop
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Agrobiodiversity and participatory plant breeding for an agroecological transformation of agriculture?
This workshop will include several presentations about international and Swiss projects on participatory plant breeding, agroecological research, and grain legumes. Additionally, there will be a focus on the exchange between and networking of different actors within Switzerland.
When? Tuesday, 2 November 2021, 13:30-17:30
Where? Kirchgemeindehaus Steigerhubel, Steigerhubelstrasse 65, 3008 Bern
In 2021, CSS together with Getreidezüchtung Peter Kunz and semnar / saatgutpolitik & wissenschaft started a four-year interdisciplinary research project on participatory plant breeding and the cultivation of grain legumes began in Switzerland. We want to use this as an opportunity to enter an exchange with other (inter)national projects on the topics of agroecological research and plant breeding as well as to identify synergies. The event will be held in English and is aimed a professional audience. A non-professional translation into German is possible with prior registration.
Programme:
A Distortion of Science and a Danger to Public and Environmental Safety
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Critical Scientists Switzerland (CSS) and the European Network of Scientists for Social and Environmental Responsibility (ENSSER) have published a scientific critique in response to the German National Academy of Sciences Leopoldina and the European Academies Science Advisory Council (EASAC) demanding in recent statements that the EU stops regulating 'genome-edited' plants.
Critical Scientists Switzerland (CSS) and the European Network of Scientists for Social and Environmental Responsibility (ENSSER) have analysed two statements by the German Academy of Sciences Leopoldina and the European Academies Science Advisory Council (EASAC) in which both called on the EU Commission to end the regulation of so-called ‘genome-edited’ organisms and also older transgenic genetically modified organisms (GMOs). ENSSER and CSS found both statements to be seriously lacking in scientific objectivity and rigour. The literature quoted by Leopoldina and EASAC was selected to support their preconceived conclusion. We list more than 200 relevant scientific publications which suggest another conclusion. 'Genome editing', just as much as the older transgenic techniques, demonstrably poses risks to the environment and human health. Moreover, the relative ease of use and low cost of CRISPR, the best-known and most widely used 'genome editing' tool, gives rise to a considerably higher potential for dual use, abuse and accidental misuse. The application of 'genome editing' as gene drives (which are intended to permanently modify, replace or eradicate whole populations or species in the wild) is an additional cause for great concern.
Extension of Gene-Tech Moratorium
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- New GE techniques
Critical Scientists Switzerland published a statement in response to the Federal consultation process on the extension of the Swiss gene technology moratorium.
The Critical Scienstists Switzerland welcome the planned extension of the moratorium. We fully agree with the Federal report on the planned extension that organisms produced with new gene editing technologies are subject to the current legislation on gene technologies (Gene Technology Act) and are regulated accordingly (precautionary principle, risk assessment, step-by-step procedure, labelling, and monitoring). Despite some inconsistencies of the Federal report highlighted in our statement, Critical Scientists Switzerland generally support the current government policy.
Sustainability through trade agreements?
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Critical Scientists Switzerland and kritische Jurist*innen Bern organized an online event on the issue of sustainability through trade agreements with two renowned experts. Below you can find the slides of the speakers and some links to relevant documents.
Ein Jahr vor der COP26 in Glasgow. Climate change or system change?
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Die Critical Scientists Switzerland und die kritische Politik laden - in Zusammenarbeit mit dem Klimastreik Schweiz, Rethinking Economics Luzern, Karl dem Grossen Zürich und der WOZ - zu einer Städtetour zum Thema Klimawandel ein.
Der in Salzburg forschende und lehrende Geografieprofessor Christian Zeller wird vom Dienstag, 1. bis Freitag, 4. September jeweils um 18:00 in verschiedenen Städten Vorträge zur Klimakrise halten und am Samstag, 5. September einen Vertiefungsworkshop im Klimaraum in Zürich anbieten.
Veranstaltungsorte & Daten
Mi. 2. Sept | 18h
Bern | Käfigturm | Marktgasse 67
Facebook Event BernEin freier Platz (Stand 02. Sept 2020)
Do. 3. Sept | 18h
Luzern | Neubad | Bireggstrasse 36 | Seminarraum
FB Event Luzern
Fr. 4. Sept | 18h
Zürich | Karl der Grosse | Kirchgasse 14 | Erkerzimmer
FB Event Zürich
Warteliste (Stand 02. Sept 2020)
Sa. 5. Sept | 16h
Vertiefungsworkshop im Klimaraum Zürich | Hardstrasse 235
FB Event Zürich Vertiefung
Achtung: Eine Anmeldung auf Facebook garantiert nicht einen Platz an der Veranstaltung. Hierfür bedarf es einer Anmeldung mittels dem auf dieser Seite verlinkten Formular. Trotzdem sind wir auf Grund des Werbeeffektes über Anmeldungen auf Facebook froh.
Di. 1. Sept. | 18h
Basel | Unternehmen Mitte | Gerbergasse 30, Salon 1. Stock
"Syngenta, Bayer und Co in Basel - Globales System, globale Verantwortung!"
Veranstaltung von March against Bayer and Syngenta (MaBS) und Multiwatch zu pestizidbasierter Agrarwirtschaft mit Christian Zeller, Eva Gelinsky (CSS) und einem MaBS Mitglied.
FB Event externe Basel Veranstaltung
Die Zeit ist knapp. Der Weltklimarat (IPCC) fordert, dass die Emissionen sofort weltweit zurückgehen müssen: bis 2030 um 58% gegenüber 2010 und bis 2050 auf Netto Null. Nur damit könne die Weltgesellschaft mit einer Wahrscheinlichkeit von lediglich 50% den Temperaturanstieg auf maximal 1,5º C gegenüber der vorindustriellen Zeit begrenzen. Viele Klimaforscher*innen fordern jedoch, dass die Treibhausgas-Emissionen noch wesentlich drastischer zurückgehen müssen, um dieses Ziel zu erreichen.
Gerade die Klimabewegung ist sich der Brisanz der Lage bewusst und ruft regelmässig nach„System Change, not Climate Change“. Doch was soll „System Change“ bedeuten? Gerade der Klimawandel zeigt, dass ökologische Fragen immer auch mit gesellschaftlichen Fragen verknüpft sind. Wie funktioniert der „Stoffwechsel“ zwischen Mensch und Natur unter den herrschenden Rahmenbedingungen? Und wie wäre, um die drohende Klimakatastrophe abzuwenden, dieser Stoffwechsel umzugestalten?
Um diese Fragen zu diskutieren, haben wir Prof. Christian Zeller eingeladen. Prof. Zeller lehrt Wirtschaftsgeographie und Global Studies an der Universität Salzburg. Er publiziert zu global ungleicher Entwicklung, Bedeutungszunahme des Finanzkapitals, Inwertsetzung der Natur, Stadtentwicklung und Wirtschaftsdemokratie. An den Anlässen wird Prof. Zeller sein neues Buch vorstellen – „Revolution für das Klima. Warum wir eine ökosozialistische Alternative brauchen“ – das Anfang Mai im oekom Verlag erschienen ist.
Mobilisierungsmaterial
CSS-Event-COP26-Flyer-05-WEB.pdf
