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The Foundation for Global Sustainability (FFGS) in cooperation with swisscleantech, San Diego Zoo, Zurich Zoo, Biomimicry 3.8, Wyss Institute Harvard and Ethical Markets, are pleased to announce the Biomimicry Europe Innovation and Finance Summit 2012  ^[2] August 29-31 in Zurich/Switzerland.

Biodiversity serves vital functions for our living planet and creates value to the economy. It provides important environmental services, such as pollination for agriculture, worth billions. In addition, Biodiversity provides the economy with highly valuable insights in design, structures and organizational systems. During 3.8 billion years of evolution, nature has developed effective strategies and lasting solutions to the very problems that confound modern society.

Designs, products and systems inspired by nature’s principles – called Biomimicry – are poised to be industry leaders in innovation, energy efficiency, radical resources productivity and overall sustainability. There are numerous concrete examples in the market today – high speed train designs, photovoltaics, natural ventilation systems, architecture, urban planning, textiles, new adhesives, and more. Whether it is understood as an approach to producing sustainable products or a complete transformation of the way that humans view and interact with nature, Biomimicry has the potential to be a key driver of economic growth and the transition into a more energy and resources efficient economy.

To accelerate the concrete translation of bio-inspired technologies into commercial products and organizational change, appropriate financing models and metrics will have to be developed and implemented.

Find out more on www.biomimicry.ch ^[3]