EMBL Conference: Biological Solutions for the Global CO2 Challenge
03.06.2019
Successful reduction of atmospheric CO2 levels to pre-industrial levels is among the most pressing current challenges for scientific innovation. Given the scale of its impact on the global ecosystems and socio-economic implications, innovative solutions are urgently needed at the chemistry as well as biological front. The EMBL conference “Biological Solutions for the Global CO2 Challenge” will bring together scientific leaders, industrial players, as well as policy makers to discuss how synthetic biology and metabolic engineering can contribute to sustainable CO2 capture and conversion. The conference topics will cover the entire chain of innovation, from the laboratory to the field implementation. Approaches that make optimal use of the evolutionarily optimised biological systems, like algae and plants, as well as novel synthetic biology solutions for CO2 fixation and conversion to value added chemicals will be discussed. The role of fundamental molecular biology in catalysing innovation will be one of the main focus areas for discussion.