Are we ready to prevent a global biological catastrophe?
NTI | bio is asking U.S. and international decision makers this tough question
in a new interactive infographic that explores the vulnerabilities that exist
in any country, examines global risk factors, and highlights the potentially
staggering consequences of a biological event.
The data-driven interactive illustrates the devastating
impact of a deliberate biological event and shows that most countries are
unprepared to prevent, detect, and respond to biological threats – whether they
are naturally occurring, deliberate, or accidental.
“We launched this page to raise awareness of global
catastrophic biological risks among policymakers, practitioners, and the
public,” says Dr. Elizabeth Cameron, NTI Vice President for Global Biological
Policy and Programs. “Countries need to improve national preparedness and
biosecurity capability – especially systems to reduce the likelihood for
deliberate or accidental release of a biological agents. It is not a matter of
whether the next pandemic will occur, it is a matter of when. The time for
action is now.”
The full interactive can be found on TimeIsNow.nti.org.
Sign up for our newsletter to get the latest on nuclear and biological threats.
NTI | bio convened a workshop on “Disincentivizing State Bioweapons Development and Use” a week ahead of the Biological Weapons Convention Working Group meetings in Geneva, Switzerland.
NTI | bio hosted a lunchtime event on Capitol Hill to discuss how Congress and other decisionmakers can take action to mitigate emerging risks associated with AI-bio capabilities.
Amid significant advances in artificial intelligence (AI), a new NTI | bio report recommends urgent action and oversight by governments, industry, and the scientific community to reduce risks associated with AI-enabled capabilities to engineer living systems.
