SGI President Patrinos Co-Authors Proposals on International Policies to Reduce Global Greenhouse Gas Emissions

LA JOLLA, California -

To aid in reducing global greenhouse gas emissions and help solve the complex issues of climate change, two researchers have published energy and technology policy recommendations. Co-authors Aristides A.N. Patrinos, Ph.D., President of Synthetic Genomics Inc. (SGI), and Richard A. Bradley, Ph.D., Head of Energy Efficiency and Environment Division at the International Energy Agency published their policy proposals in the August 21st edition of Science.

“Important carbon management legislation and agreements to reduce nonrenewable carbon emissions are urgently being debated now in the US Senate and in the United Nations,” said Dr. Patrinos. “Our recommendations highlighting the importance of a multi-prong policy approach involving legislation, science and technology, and international institutions could help the deliberations and adoption of low-carbon technologies.”

The policies and recommendations considered by the authors include: - Providing incentives that fully promote and exploit improved energy efficiency, renewable energy production, and carbon capture and storage in the world’s largest economies. - Applying the innovative energy technology model outlined in America’s Energy Future report, recently released by the U.S. National Academy of Sciences, in countries and regions leading to an optimum combination of technologies. - Integrating a broad institutional mandate and deliver climate-friendly technologies to key emitting countries and sectors by empowering new international institutions and existing organizations with specific tasks, from capacity-building to facilitating cooperative R&D and policy implementation activities.

“The major policy components of an effective Copenhagen deal are clear: near term mitigation, technology and an international framework that empowers a global energy transformation,” said Dr. Bradley. “The specifics may vary, but what is not negotiable is the timing of that deal - it’s now or never if low stabilized concentrations are to be realized.”

About Synthetic Genomics Inc.

SGI, a privately held company founded in 2005, is dedicated to developing and commercializing genomic-driven solutions to address global energy and environment challenges. Advances in synthetic genomics present limitless applications in a variety of product areas, including: energy, chemicals and pharmaceuticals. The company’s main research and business programs are focused on the following major bioenergy areas: designing advanced biofuels with superior properties compared to ethanol and biodiesel; harnessing photosynthetic organisms to produce value added products directly from sunlight and carbon dioxide; developing new biological solutions to increase production and/or recovery rates of subsurface hydrocarbons and developing high-yielding, more disease resistant and economic feedstocks. For more information go to www.syntheticgenomics.com

Source: Synthetic Genomics Inc.

Heather Kowalski, +1-858-361-0466, hkowalski at syntheticgenomics.com, or Melanie Venter, +1-858-754-2938, mventer at syntheticgenomics.com, both of SGI