The 2017 International Council of Academies of Engineering and Technological Sciences (CAETS) Convocation took place in Madrid, Spain on 13-16th November, 2017, under the aspiration of “Engineering a better world”, a motto adopted in CAETS 2016 for use in subsequent convocations.
The 2017 CAETS convocation began with an International Conference focused on “Engineering Challenges of the Bioeconomy”, where international experts presented their views on selected topics to representatives of the member academies of CAETS and to an international audience. The urgent need for the sustainable use of natural resources, and the notable advances in the field of biology have paved the way for the expansion of a bio-based economy. The bioeconomy addresses the use of renewable biological resources and their conversion into products, ranging from food and feed to other bio-based products and bio-energy. It demands innovative techniques for the production, processing, storage, consumption, recycling and disposal of natural resources. Thus, bioeconomy brings together the various sectors of the economy that are related to biological resources (agriculture, forestry, fisheries, food, bio-based chemicals and materials and bioenergy).

The New Genetic Engineering
Civilizations arose after new varieties of plants and animals were developed by unconscious genetic engineering: the selection and multiplication of spontaneous mutants and recombinants. The green revolution of the twentieth century, which has kept food production ahead of population growth, was based on the knowledge of classical genetics. Molecular biology has provided new techniques for the precise modification of genes and genome functions.
The new era of genetic engineering goes beyond the modification of single traits to allow rewiring of complex metabolic, sensorial, and developmental circuits that may include artificial genes designed by engineers. Targeted genome engineering offers vast possibilities for adapting organisms to existing or desirable environments, rendering them resistant to diseases, modifying product composition, and establishing new processes and products for alimentary, industrial, and medicinal applications. The scrutiny of society on all these innovations means that they must be regulated, monitored, and controlled in order to prove their safety and benefits, but the products of the new breeding techniques should not be scrutinized more severely than the products of conventional breeding

Energy
Deep and widespread changes in the global energy sector is expected in the next few decades due to climate change and to the fact that renewable sources such as sun and wind are already the cheapest way for electricity generation in many world areas. To minimize the global temperature increase we have to reduce as quickly as possible the anthropogenic GHG emissions. Power generation and road transportation are responsible for more than half of the emissions. The increase in renewable power generation and road transport electrification as well as the use of renewable fuels such as hydrogen are completely necessary to keep the increase in global temperature at safe levels in the coming decades.
Most major countries are committed to a fast increase in renewable power generation to tackle not only global warming, but the air pollution and other health problems in its larger cities. Natural gas will probably play a transition role from using the more contaminating fuels as the energy systems move towards renewable sources. Most countries are making a transition towards greater diversification of their energy sources. New products and know-how associated with clean energy are already having significant effects in the economic growth and exports of countries.

SAAE’s representatives at the CAETS Convocation Felix Reinders, Trueman Goba, Bob Pullen and Mike Shand
The 2017 CAETS Convocation was hosted by the Royal Spanish Academy of Engineering in Madrid, Spain, from 13 to 17 November 2017. The theme of the meeting was “Challenges of the Bio-economy” with four sub-themes, namely “Food security”, “New Genetic Engineering”, “Blue Economy” and “Transition to a new Energy Model”. SAAE was represented by the President, Mr Trueman Goba, the Vice-President, Dr Mike Shand, the Past President and current Treasurer, Mr Bob Pullen, and Fellow Felix Reinders. The Executive Committee of SAAE invited Fellow Reinders to attend the Convocation as the theme of the Convocation fell within the scope of his expertise. The Executive Committee intends to disseminate the information emanating from the Convocation by making arrangements for Fellow Reinders to make presentations at different venues in the country.