"As we near the end of this century, human numbers and the scale and intensity of human activities have reached th point where they are now a decisive factor in shaping the human future. We have become the principal agents of our own evolution and cannot escape the responsabilities which this entails"
[...]
Nobel laureate Paul Crutzen, Director of the Max-Planck Institute's Atmospheric Chemistry Division reflected that the importance of human activities and how they impact the atmosphere will be a major consideration in the 21st century. Huge amounts of carbon, between 2,000 and 5,000 million tonnes are burned in the atmosphere each year, he said. Showing a photograph taken from the US Space Shuttle, he pointed out how the ozone layer has been depleted. "Science in the next century will be determined by an understanding of th biosphere", he said.

Genetic Engineering - and human responsability
9 genetic

Human cloning was the topic that seized the attention of a blue-ribbon panel discussing the genetic revolution. It was unanimously agreed that it will happen, and it won't take long.
[...]
Jozef Schell, Director of Germany's Max-Plank Institute, emphasized that as knowledge develops, so do the burden of responsability to use it. "The future will be decided on wether or not we can handle that knowledge", he said. The first wave int he science of genetics was an effort to develop transgenic organisms, the second wave is genomics, how to use the information. "It's quite clear", he added, "if we want to get the point where we can use knowledge, we must understand the function."
All agreed that there must be some form of regulations on genetic engineering. Schell sugested that society must decide on regulations and provide a way to implement them. "If you don't want to live with cloned people around you, you should say no".

Genetic information: for whom and for what?
228 genetic testing

[...]
An active research geneticist and Max-Planck Institute Director, Jozef Schell, pointed out that through genetics we can measure probability which can be explained and interpreted by experts. And others may make the ethical and policy decisions. "I see no alternative but for decision-makers to rely on experts", he said, adding that "this is why education is so important."

Genetic Information: in utero?
289 human identity

[...]
From among the audience, Joshua Lederberg, Nobel Laureate in medicine, commented that with more than 50% of world's marriages arranged, genetic information could play a very useful role. Our choices may not be rational, but they should be informed, he said.
Jozef Schell, Director of Max-Planck Institute, said that with all the talk about cloning, people forget the importance of nurture as well as nature - that we are a product of our education and environment as well as our genes. "What scares us is that we will be responsible for our decisions, that is not good luck or bad luck or chance," he said.