L. Val Giddings Information Technology and Innovation Foundation, Washington, D.C. 20001, USA Correspondence: vgiddingsitif.org

Gene editing and genetic modification hold enormous potential to deliver solutions to multiple climate change challenges. The most important rate-limiting obstacles impeding their development and deployment are not technical, but rather counterproductive policies and regulations. These are driven in part by the mistaken apprehension of widespread public opposition. These obstacles are described and solutions to overcoming them are presented.