NTI Events at the December 2024 BWC Meetings

This December, NTI | bio will be taking part in the fifth session of the Working Group on the Strengthening of the Biological Weapons Convention. During the week of December 9, they will host two meetings, one with an option for virtual attendance. Full details are below.

Disincentivizing Bioweapons: Theory and Policy Approaches

Time: 1:15 – 2:15PM CET
Date: Wednesday, December 11
Location: Palais des Nations, Building A, Room V, Geneva, Switzerland; Streaming on YouTube

The dual-use nature of modern bioscience and the significant financial resources available to many states make it challenging to prevent the development of biological weapons through traditional controls on materials or knowledge. To address this, NTI | bio has commissioned an essay collection focused on shaping incentives to disincentivize states from pursuing bioweapons capabilities—an area with far less developed discourse compared to nuclear deterrence.

This event will highlight the importance of fostering rigorous policy discussions around preventing biological weapons proliferation. By exploring innovative solutions and encouraging a more analytical approach to complex global biosecurity challenges, the goal is to bridge theory and practical policy efforts to invigorate international efforts to reduce biological threats.

Join us to engage with these critical issues and help kick-start new approaches to global bioweapons policy.

** Light lunch and refreshments will be provided.

Register

Enhancing Transparency for Bioscience Research & Development

Time: 1:15 – 2:45 PM CET
Date: Friday, December 13, 2024
Location: Palais des Nations, Building A, Room V, Geneva, Switzerland

As the international community grapples with the rapid advances in bioscience and biotechnology, the potential misuse of these tools for developing biological weapons remains a critical challenge. While these innovations hold great promise, there are insufficient global mechanisms to monitor whether states are utilizing them for peaceful or harmful purposes, raising urgent questions about how to prevent biological weapons development.

In response to the political momentum created by the Ninth Review Conference in 2022, NTI | bio has actively explored ways to enhance transparency, verification, and confidence-building measures to strengthen compliance with the Biological Weapons Convention (BWC). Join us to explore the outcomes of recent international discussions and workshops, where experts proposed innovative solutions to enhance transparency within the BWC. Key topics will include how enhanced transparency measures—such as the scientific and technical collection and analysis of data—can reduce the risk of misperceptions in bioscience research and development. The event will also cover the processes for gathering such data and the institutional structures that support these efforts.

** Light lunch and refreshments will be provided.

Register