Description
The natural plant enzyme that captures carbon dioxide for photosynthesis is inefficient. What if the process of photosynthesis could be modified through biotechnology? What if computers could redesign it for optimal function?
Instead of a narrative on these topics, create an argument – should this technology be used? What are the risks as well as the challenges of this technology? If it should be used,
how should it be properly regulated?
The policy should take into account not only biological possibilities, but also ethical and moral
constraints.
Answer preview
Introduction
Environmental pollution has become a global issue in many environmental debates. There is increasing need to substitute the highly used oil-based products and address global climate change. The burning of fossil fuels has led to carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions in large quantities. Carbon dioxide is one of the greenhouse gasses that have contributed to climate change through global warming and rise in the sea levels. These changes in the global climate have affected biodiversity, agriculture, precipitation patterns, and food supply to the increased global population. These issues have triggered interest in the photosynthesis process and scientists are aiming at developing efficient carbon dioxide management ways. Trapping carbon dioxide from the environment and its sources plays a significant role in helping lower the levels of greenhouse gasses emissions. However, the ways and materials that are currently available to absorb the environment CO2 are not enough to lower the greenhouse gas levels. Therefore, scientists get involved in coming up with new alternatives that could help reduce the greenhouse gasses levels in the environment. One of the efficient ways suggested and currently in implementation is the modification of the photosynthesis process in plants. The process of modification of the natural photosynthesis process through biotechnology has a great prize.
Photosynthesis is the process that plants, cyanobacteria, and algae use to capture, convert to biochemical energy, and store energy from sunlight (Govindjee et. Al., 5). Photosynthesis is mainly through the process of water-splitting. The process of photosynthesis plays a significant role in the planet as it is used by almost all life on the planet and it is estimated to produce more than 210 billion tons of biomass in a year (Fesenko and Edwards, 1928). However, this amount of biomass will not be able to sustain life on the planet in the future since fossil energy that is currently highly used is becoming limited and therefore must be replaced by renewable and environmentally friendly sources of energy for a sustainable life in the coming years. To address this issue, efforts are made especially on artificial photosynthesis by improving the existing natural process. Therefore, scientists learn the process and use the knowledge to improve the photosynthesis process and production of biomass fuels through biotechnology. According to Govindjee et. al. (2014), improvements can be made on the light reactions of photosynthesis through processes such as conventional breeding and genetic engineering (9).
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