Israel Leads the Way in Climate Adaptation with Bio-Convergence

Climate change has a wide range of impacts that affect all aspects of life, including water, food, and agriculture, putting these systems under serious threat. The good news is that Israel, a small yet bold and innovative country in the Middle East, is leading the way in addressing these challenges through pioneering solutions that combine the strengths of biology and engineering.

This approach is known as Bio-convergence, a new multidisciplinary field that merges biology with areas such as artificial intelligence, robotics, and nanotechnology, creating hybrid solutions that were previously unimaginable.

“Bio-convergence is the world in which biology meets other technologies from the engineering world, both hardware and software. It’s where the high-tech meets biotech and they both enrich each other’s worlds”, explains Shai Melcer, Head of the National Bio-convergence Program at Israel Innovation Authority.

The Israel Innovation Authority רשות החדשנות is addressing critical issues and shaping a sustainable future for everyone. In 2019, the Authority anticipated global trends by promoting Bio-convergence initiatives, which have driven increased investments in this sector.

In 2020, Bio-convergence became a national programme. The decision to invest in this initiative is based on the understanding that the world is moving in this direction. Moreover, Israel’s success in high-tech—primarily in the software domain—coupled with its pool of high-quality researchers and scientists makes ramping up investments in bio-convergence a logical next step.

The Innovation Authority and its partners are actively engaged at various levels and areas within the field of bio-convergence. Their initiatives include creating an infrastructure for synthetic biology capable of producing biological building blocks that do not exist in nature.

This encompasses innovative projects such as new biological construction materials, self-illuminating trees, and bacteria designed to detect landmines. They are also advancing fermentation technology, which opens exciting possibilities, such as developing alternative proteins for the food industry. Additionally, they support using biochips in medicine, which allows for the rapid and cost-effective discovery and development of pharmaceuticals.

The Authority and its partners are working to establish technology incubators that integrate biology and engineering within academia and the defence sector. Together with regulatory measures, such as the approval for marketing “cultured meat,” these efforts are fostering the growth of the Israeli industry (Bio-Convergence, 2024).

The video below features two examples of bio-convergence companies: BugEra and Biotic.

BugEra is an Israeli/USA insect biotechnology company and a global leader in cutting-edge insect genetic technologies developing novel black soldier fly (BSF) strains. This new strain of BSF, named BSFx2, produces significantly more oil, a more sustainable oil and can replace traditional food oils and fossil fuels. Their process also upcycles organic waste that can slash GHG emissions and promote a circular economy.

Biotic is another innovative company that is addressing the global plastic pollution problem. Their PHBV polymers are fully biobased and biodegradable, providing a groundbreaking solution for transitioning away from fossil-based, polluting plastics.

Biotic’s scalable production process does not use synthetic chemicals; instead, it is based on marine biomass, which undergoes a precision fermentation process. These biodegradable polymers entirely break down into natural compounds, leaving no toxic residue and eliminating waste while supporting a circular economy.

Below is a video from Biotic that introduces their product and explains how the company aims to solve the global plastic pollution problem.

Israel’s remarkable progress in the fields of technology, engineering, and biology, developing innovative solutions that address some of the world’s most pressing challenges, including the impacts of climate change, not only showcases Israel’s commitment to sustainability but also establishes the country as a global leader in climate adaptation and mitigation strategies.

Recognising the urgency of the climate crisis, governments, international organisations, and primarily the United Nations must support Israel’s initiatives.

By collaborating with Israel, they can help share and implement these cutting-edge technologies and practices globally, particularly in the climate-vulnerable countries that are most at risk.

Spreading these advancements can have a significant positive impact, empowering nations to take better climate adaptation actions, respond to climate-related challenges and work towards a more sustainable future for all.