About

MACHT NATUR

How much do we force nature and how much power does nature have over us?

We generally use the term nature for everything which was not created by man. But now we are exerting influence over the entire planet. The boundaries between nature and technology are blurring and our ideas, lifestyles and values are changing. Challenges such as climate change, species extinction and the provision of resources for a growing world population require new solutions and approaches. The question arises, what are the framework conditions for our intervention. The exhibition MACHT NATUR invites you on a journey through familiar and unfamiliar territory. It presents innovations, potentials and risks of the bioeconomy around the topics of insects, plants, soil and air. MACHT NATUR offers space to take different perspectives and playfully engage with new phenomena. How far do we want to go and where do we draw the line?

MACHT NATUR presents results from nine workshops on five subject areas that were conducted in 2019 as part of the three-year research project „Farming the Uncanny Valley“.

What is bioeconomy?

Bioeconomy is aiming to replace fossil fuels by renewable resources. Plants, animals and microorganisms are the source and role model for products, services and processes. This approach is used to respond to current challenges such as crude oil shortages or plastic waste. A growing world population that consumes more resources and climate change also pose great challenges for the bioeconomy.

For this reason, the "National German Bioeconomy Policy Strategy" articulated the following goals, among others:

• Food security and healthy food production
• Competitiveness and promotion of innovation
• Sustainable use of biogenic resources
• Climate and nature protection¹
  
  
  However, the transformation towards a bioeconomy is more than a simple change of resources. Raw material crops are now growing where food was previously grown, biodiversity needs functioning ecosystems and fertile soils are decreasing at the same time. Technologies must be discussed and circular use needs to be established. Since the changes have a comprehensive impact on all areas of our everyday life, an open discourse on the framework conditions of a bioeconomy is necessary in politics, research and the public.
  
  

[1] BMEL/ Bioökonomie