June 2024 | INRAE-Cirad-Ifremer-IRD

At the initiative of the CEOs of the institutes

Referral approved on 18 March 2024

————

In this Guidance, the Ethics in Common Committee considers the exploration, exploitation and preservation of pristine or minimally anthropised environments, and studies the case of the deep seabed to support its work. The Committee proposes a reflection on the notion of ‘stakes for knowledge’. It stresses the need, both at the onset of each project and throughout its life-span, to bring together all the players concerned, from research institutes to industry and including the general public, to define what ‘stakes for knowledge’ implies for each player. The committee also stresses the importance of creating a firm legal status to protect these environments and anticipate any misuse.

_{Illustration: giant tube worm Riftia pachyptila | Credit: Ifremer}