Report on the Microbiota Vault Initiative and its Alignment with Sustainable Development Goals

Introduction

The Microbiota Vault Initiative is a global non-profit project established to preserve microbial diversity for the benefit of future generations. Analogous to the Svalbard Global Seed Vault, this initiative focuses on collecting and cryopreserving microorganisms from humans, animals, and various environments to safeguard them from extinction due to modern lifestyle changes and environmental degradation. The project operates as a proactive measure to maintain planetary and human health, directly contributing to several United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

Contribution to Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

The initiative’s core mission and operational framework are intrinsically linked to achieving global sustainability targets.

SDG 3: Good Health and Well-being

The Vault directly addresses SDG 3 by preserving microbial diversity crucial for human health. Modern practices have led to the decline of beneficial microbes, increasing the risk of various health conditions.

• Preservation of Key Microbes: The initiative archives microbes essential for digestion, immune system development, and disease prevention.
• Combating Non-Communicable Diseases: The loss of bacteria such as Bifidobacterium infantis is linked to a higher incidence of allergies and diabetes in industrial societies. The decline of Helicobacter pylori, which helps regulate immune responses, may contribute to rising rates of asthma and metabolic diseases.
• Future Health Solutions: By storing healthy microbiomes, the Vault provides a resource for developing future therapies to prevent or mitigate health crises.

SDG 13: Climate Action

The project contributes to climate action by preserving microorganisms that play a vital role in regulating biogeochemical cycles and greenhouse gas emissions.

• Carbon and Methane Regulation: The Vault aims to preserve microbes from vulnerable ecosystems like Arctic permafrost. For example, Methanoflorens stordalenmirensis is critical for controlling methane storage.
• Mitigating Climate Change Impacts: The loss of such microbes could accelerate the release of greenhouse gases, exacerbating climate change. Preserving them provides a potential tool for future ecological restoration and climate recovery efforts.

SDG 15: Life on Land

The fundamental purpose of the Microbiota Vault is to halt biodiversity loss, a central target of SDG 15. It recognizes microbial life as a foundational component of terrestrial ecosystems.

• Halting Microbial Extinction: The initiative acts as a safeguard against the irreversible loss of unique microbes, which Martin Blaser of Rutgers University warns are under a threat “analogous to climate change.”
• Supporting Ecosystem Functions: Soil microbes are essential for nutrient recycling and supporting plant growth, underpinning the health of all terrestrial habitats.

SDG 2: Zero Hunger

By focusing on microbes from food systems and soil, the initiative supports sustainable agriculture and food security.

• Preservation of Food Cultures: The Vault has already cryopreserved 190 samples from fermented foods, safeguarding traditional food production methods and their associated microbial diversity.
• Enhancing Soil Health: Protecting soil microbes is crucial for maintaining agricultural productivity and resilience, contributing to long-term food security.

SDG 10 & 16: Reduced Inequalities and Strong Institutions

The initiative is built on a robust ethical framework that promotes equity, justice, and transparent governance.

• Depositor Sovereignty: All rights and control over the samples remain with the local collectors and communities that provide them. The Vault does not patent or commercialize any deposits.
• Equitable Benefit-Sharing: The project is committed to ensuring that communities that supply samples receive proper recognition and share in any future benefits, in line with the Nagoya Protocol.
• Global Governance: The annual Global Microbiome Network (GloMiNe) symposia bring together scientists, ethicists, and policymakers to develop standardized, equitable protocols.

SDG 17: Partnerships for the Goals

The Microbiota Vault operates through a collaborative global network, embodying the spirit of SDG 17.

• International Scientific Collaboration: The initiative is guided by 25 scientists from different continents.
• Institutional Partnerships: It works alongside other conservation efforts, including the Global Microbiome Conservancy and the U.K. Crop Microbiome Cryobank, to build a unified front for microbial conservation.
• Capacity Building: Workshops and symposia are held globally to help researchers adopt standard protocols and build local capacity for microbial research and conservation.

Operational Framework and Future Outlook

The initiative has a clear, phased plan for development and expansion.

Current Status

• Over 1,200 human samples and 190 food samples have been cryopreserved at -80°C in a temporary facility in Zurich.
• Backup copies are stored at the depositor’s request to ensure security.
• DNA sequencing can be requested by depositors under open-access terms.

Strategic Plan: Growth Phase 1 (to 2029)

The primary objectives for the current development phase include:

1. Collecting a target of 10,000 samples from diverse human populations and environments.
2. Constructing a permanent, secure vault in a politically stable and cold region, such as Switzerland or Canada.
3. Expanding collection efforts to include samples from threatened ecosystems.
4. Continuing to build global capacity for microbial collection and research through partnerships and training.

1. Which SDGs are addressed or connected to the issues highlighted in the article?

The Microbiota Vault Initiative, as described in the article, addresses and connects to several Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by focusing on the conservation of microbial diversity, which has wide-ranging impacts on human health, environmental stability, and global equity.

• SDG 3: Good Health and Well-being: The article directly links microbial diversity to human health, noting that microbes “help digest food, shape immunity and reduce disease risk.” The loss of specific microbes is associated with “higher allergy and diabetes risks” and the rise of “asthma and metabolic issues.” The vault’s purpose is to preserve healthy microbes to “help future generations prevent health crises.”
• SDG 13: Climate Action: The article explicitly states, “Microbiota Vault helps the climate.” It explains that microbes in permafrost, such as Methanoflorens stordalenmirensis, “trap carbon and control methane emissions.” The loss of such microbes “could worsen climate change,” making their preservation a direct action toward climate mitigation.
• SDG 15: Life on Land: The core mission of the initiative is to “protect microbial diversity before it disappears,” which is a direct contribution to halting biodiversity loss. The article frames the issue as a threat to “planetary health” and an “ecological collapse.” The project’s work aligns with conserving genetic resources and protecting ecosystems, from human guts to soil and permafrost.
• SDG 2: Zero Hunger: The article mentions that microbes in soil “recycle nutrients and maintain plant growth,” which is fundamental to agriculture and food production. By preserving microbes from “fermented foods” and soil, the initiative supports the resilience and sustainability of food systems.
• SDG 17: Partnerships for the Goals: The initiative is described as a global effort, “with guidance from 25 scientists across different continents.” It involves international collaboration through “Global Microbiome Network symposia (GloMiNe)” and partnerships with other organizations like the “Global Microbiome Conservancy.” This collaborative approach is key to achieving its goals.
• SDG 10: Reduced Inequalities: The project emphasizes an ethical framework where “ethics and fairness have guided every decision.” It ensures that “Depositors retain full control” and “Communities that supply samples get proper recognition and share in any future benefits.” This commitment to equity, depositor sovereignty, and engagement with Indigenous communities addresses inequality in the access and benefits derived from genetic resources.

2. What specific targets under those SDGs can be identified based on the article’s content?

Based on the article’s content, several specific SDG targets can be identified:

1. SDG 3: Good Health and Well-being

   • Target 3.4: “By 2030, reduce by one-third premature mortality from non-communicable diseases through prevention and treatment…” The article connects the loss of microbes like Bifidobacterium infantis and Helicobacter pylori to a higher incidence of non-communicable diseases such as diabetes, allergies, and asthma. Preserving these microbes is a preventative measure to combat these health issues in the future.

2. SDG 13: Climate Action

   • Target 13.3: “Improve education, awareness-raising and human and institutional capacity on climate change mitigation, adaptation, impact reduction and early warning.” The initiative raises awareness about the role of microbes in climate regulation (e.g., controlling methane emissions) and builds institutional capacity by creating a vault to preserve these microbes, acting as a long-term strategy for climate recovery and impact reduction.

3. SDG 15: Life on Land

   • Target 15.5: “Take urgent and significant action to reduce the degradation of natural habitats, halt the loss of biodiversity and, by 2020, protect and prevent the extinction of threatened species.” The Microbiota Vault is a direct and urgent action to “protect microbial diversity before it disappears” and prevent the extinction of key microbial species, which the article likens to the loss of the “dodo bird.”
   • Target 15.6: “Promote fair and equitable sharing of the benefits arising from the utilization of genetic resources and promote appropriate access to such resources…” The article highlights that the initiative is “absolutely committed to developing the Microbiota Vault in a way that maximizes equity,” ensuring depositors retain control and communities share in benefits, and explicitly mentions its engagement with the “Nagoya Protocol.”

4. SDG 2: Zero Hunger

   • Target 2.5: “By 2020, maintain the genetic diversity of seeds, cultivated plants and farmed and domesticated animals and their related wild species, including through soundly managed and diversified seed and plant banks…” The Microbiota Vault extends this principle to microbial genetic diversity. By preserving microbes from soil and fermented foods, it helps maintain the microbial diversity essential for “plant growth” and sustainable food systems.

5. SDG 17: Partnerships for the Goals

   • Target 17.6: “Enhance North-South, South-South and triangular regional and international cooperation on and access to science, technology and innovation…” The project is a global partnership involving scientists, ethicists, and policymakers from various continents, sharing knowledge through symposia held in locations like “Peru, Africa, Asia and Chile.”

3. Are there any indicators mentioned or implied in the article that can be used to measure progress towards the identified targets?

The article mentions or implies several quantitative and qualitative indicators that can be used to measure progress:

• Indicator for Target 15.5 (Halting Biodiversity Loss): The number of samples collected and preserved. The article provides specific figures: “over 1,200 human samples and 190 food samples have been cryopreserved.” It also states a future goal: “to collect 10,000 samples” by 2029. This provides a clear, measurable indicator of progress in conserving microbial genetic diversity.
• Indicator for Target 15.6 (Fair and Equitable Benefit Sharing): The establishment and adherence to ethical protocols and international agreements. The article mentions the initiative’s engagement with the “Nagoya Protocol” and its commitment to “depositor sovereignty” and benefit-sharing. Progress can be measured by the number of agreements established with local communities and the implementation of these ethical frameworks.
• Indicator for Target 3.4 (Non-communicable Diseases): The diversity of key health-related microbes preserved. The article names specific bacteria like Bifidobacterium infantis and Helicobacter pylori whose decline is linked to disease. An indicator would be the number and diversity of such clinically relevant microbial strains secured in the vault.
• Indicator for Target 13.3 (Climate Action Capacity): The preservation of key climate-regulating microbial species. The article identifies Methanoflorens stordalenmirensis as crucial for controlling methane. An indicator of progress is the successful collection and preservation of microbes from vulnerable environments like Arctic permafrost that play a role in climate regulation.
• Indicator for Target 17.6 (Global Partnerships): The scale and reach of international collaboration. The article mentions “25 scientists across different continents,” annual “GloMiNe” symposia, and “workshops.” Progress can be measured by the number of participating countries, institutions, and scientists, as well as the frequency and impact of collaborative events.

4. Create a table with three columns titled ‘SDGs, Targets and Indicators” to present the findings from analyzing the article. In this table, list the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), their corresponding targets, and the specific indicators identified in the article.

Source: earth.com