Mobility and Sustainability.

Worldwide Extinction

65 million years ago, the most powerful masters of the globe died out: the dinosaurs. The impact of a meteorite was probably the cause of the catastrophe. Today, man is responsible for the endangered flora and fauna of our times. The overexploitation of nature, environmental pollution and climate change are the most important causes. Not only individual species, but also entire ecosystems such as the rainforest or coral reefs are threatened with destruction. But when the plants and animals disappear, the information from their genes also disappears. Even if we don't feel it every day: with every lost species – whether plant or animal – human life also loses some quality and diversity.

Here you will find the current "Red List" of endangered species and world nature conservation organisations.

About the Value of Biological Diversity
In long evolutionary processes nature has developed solutions to problems that scientists and engineers can scarcely understand or reproduce, even with today's level of knowledge. These include robust material compounds, clever mobility mechanisms, functional methods of building and living, perfected information and communication systems, highly sensitive perception sensors.

For researchers, nature is an infinite fund, a source of inspiration that continually provides new solutions for innovative products. The car industry, too, can only benefit from studying nature – in design, climate technology and packaging, for example, in sensor technology and material development and, not least in micro and nano-technology.

It was only by studying the lotus leaf that gave researchers the idea to use the self-cleaning effect on our windscreens. A locking system - that you all know - works according to the principle of burdock fruits; it is used in roofs, in boots or on the upholstered seats of cars. Waterproof adhesives are another example: byssus threads, with which mussels adhere to a solid substrate, are the model for three-component adhesives.

A completely new branch of science has come about with bionics; it promises to recognise the connections between biology and technology and make it usable for us humans. The wealth of experience of living nature is practically inexhaustible, there is still a great deal to discover.

The particular charm of these discoveries lies in the fact that nature always achieves its goals economically with a minimum of energy and always returns its waste completely to the natural cycle.

Biological diversity is therefore a key to sustainable development. This also means: anyone who wastes natural capital threatens progress and the quality of life and, above all, irresponsibly restricts the perspectives of future generations.

In March 2008 a study on the economic importance of biological diversity is to be published – similar to the Stern Report on the Costs of Climate Change. Then we will know how expensive failed species conservation will be for us.