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Prof Katrin, Director of the Senckenberg Biodiversity and Climate Research Centre gave a very clear message on the importance of biodiversity in achieving a healthy world of the future. Pointing out the interconnectivity of climate, biodiversity and ecology it was clear that multiple species extinction was already happening for a lack of coordinated action worldwide.

Loss of biodiversity has already cost lives, the recent Tsunami in the Indian Ocean highlighted this. More lives were lost in areas where mangroves had been cut.

From a scientific perspective, we now know that the reduction in biodiversity loss can be halted by implementing certain initiatives.

Creating large protected areas of land and ocean including restoring ecosystems with the planting of trees and mangroves.

Changing the mix of agriculture, encouraging organic agriculture with more targeted use of fertiliser. We need to increase yield but understand more fully the knock-on effect of pesticides and if necessary reduce their usage.

A change in diet for northern countries to a more plant-based diet. Three-quarters of world crop production goes to feed animals.  Reducing meat consumption would yield 160 x more land for vegetables which humans can eat directly.

Marcel Velterop CEO of Primopus confirmed that the money Primopus might have spent on a stand at the Frankfurt CPHI had gone into this event to promote a debate on biodiversity and also various initiatives at Deccan to plant trees, preserve wildlife and support renewable energy.

The global challenge of correcting global warming and stopping the extinction of numerous species transcended any corporate or P&L considerations.

Primopus, the newly named pharma CDMO combines an ambitious upcycled facility in Basel, Switzerland with the large intermediates provider Deccan in India.

Marcel confirmed that more improvement was needed by everybody in the industry. It was not so easy to upcycle the facility in Basel, but faced with using another greenfield site it was better for all to upgrade the Basel site rather than build on the greenbelt.

Primopus encourages everybody to embrace ‘exceptional life’ whether it be humans, flora or fauna. By using human ingenuity, we might yet correct some of the damage done to our climate and species biodiversity.