Synthetic biology has been described as a further development and new dimension of modern biotechnology that combines science, technology and engineering to facilitate and accelerate the understanding, design, redesign, manufacture and/or modification of genetic materials, living organisms and biological systems. As this multidisciplinary area of research continues to advance rapidly, it carries hopes and aspirations to address a multitude of global challenges related to food, health and the environment, but also inspires concerns about potential impacts including those associated to biodiversity. This document has been prepared pursuant to a request from the Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity. By its decision 14/19 (paragraph 17 (c)), the Conference of the Parties requested the Executive Secretary to update an earlier publication – CBD Technical Series No. 82 on Synthetic Biology – originally published in 2015. Table contents: A (Scope and methods), B (Technical background on synthetic biology), C (Potential impacts of the component, organisms and products resulting from synthetic biology), D (Synthetic biology governance and regulatory perspectives) and E (Observations, analyses and conclusions).