At the meeting for a plenary session on March 20th 2023, the members of the Ethics in Common Committee debated the two subjects submitted for their consideration back in September 2022 : the referral "Exploration, exploitation and preservation of unknown and moderately anthropised environments" and self-referral " What are the rights and duties for scientists and their institutions in the face of an environmental emergency?”. Preparatory texts for their guidance were discussed for these two subjects.

The Committee also focused its attention on the INRAE research project ethics committee and on the latest COMETS guidance "Integrating environmental issues into the conduct of research - An ethical responsibility", that echoes its current self-referral and which it recommends the scientific community to read.

Two events are scheduled in the spring to deliberate with the staff of the organisations on the subjects of referral and self-referral: , A meeting with researchers from Ifremer's Physical Resources and Seabed Ecosystems department was planned for April 24th 2023 to discuss the framework text drafted by the Committee in response to the referral; and on May 15th 2023, as part of the visit to the Ifremer Atlantique Centre in Nantes, to debate with scientists on the subject of self-referral on the involvement of researchers and an opportunity for the Committee members to present their initial response.

The next meeting will be held on Monday May 15th 2023 at the Ifremer Atlantique Centre in Nantes.

_{Illustration (from left to right): M. De Lattre-Gasquet, B. Bensaude-Vincent, M. Akrich during the day of homage to A. Kahn (September 2022) | Photo credit: INRAE.}