The Bioeconomy: An Introduction to the World of Bioenergy

Bioenergy is booming around the world and with the expansion comes exciting opportunities and some disturbing risks. Learning about bioenergy – from technologies, to resources, to policies – is important to the success and sustainability of the bioeconomy. This short guide opens the door to understanding and engaging in the transition from the fossil-based economy to a bio-based economy. Get a free copy of this guide on the bioeconomy!

Towards a Bioeconomy in Europe: National, Regional and Industrial Strategies

A new publication on national, regional and industrial strategies on the bioeconomy in Europe. Establishing an advanced European bioeconomy is an important step in achieving the transition towards sustainable development and away from fossil fuels. The bioeconomy can be defined as an economy based on the sustainable production and conversion of renewable biomass into a range of bio-based products, chemicals, and energy. Several strategies have been produced in Europe from different perspectives that outline visions, intentions, and recommendations for the transition to a bioeconomy. An analysis of twelve of these strategies was conducted using a meta-analytical framework. This paper outlines the results of this study covering national, regional, and industrial perspectives on the bio-based economy in Europe. The analysis shows that a common direction for the bioeconomy, based on research and technological innovation in the various applications of biotechnology, is developing in Europe. It highlights the important role that the regional level will play in facilitating collaborations between industries and research institutions needed to foster innovation and optimize the use of biomass. The analysis also identifies that the development of European bio-based product markets are needed for bioeconomy expansion. However, the transition needs to have a lifecycle perspective in order to ensure that an economy founded on biomass is sustainable and equitable.

PhD Summer School on the Bio-economy

Towards a sustainable economy – the opportunity of co-developing agriculture, forestry and bio-economy for change!

Location: Copenhagen, Denmark
Dates: 27 July – 7 August 2015

Take part in a two-week PhD Summer School from 27 July – 7 August 2015 in Copenhagen, Denmark.

The two areas agriculture/forestry and bio-economy are central when it comes to guaranteeing future food security and directly contributing to climate change mitigation and adaptation.

In this two-week intensive programme, you will learn the tools to become successful innovators in the areas of agriculture/forestry and the bio-economy.

Working on particular cases in this field will allow you to link your theoretical knowledge with real-life challenges. It is up to you to come up with creative solutions for the issues of our times!

Bio-economy - the growth engine for Nordic regions?

Why this buzz about the bio-economy, you might wonder? Perhaps because it can be seen as a “silver bullet”, able to avert several staggering threats to our societies: economic and demographic decline in rural areas; joblessness and the climate crises. Clearly, there are several good reasons for the Nordic countries to dig deeper into their bountiful biological assets. First, it is about replacing fossil fuels with biofuels and replacing non-degradable products with bio-degradable ones. Second, the bioeconomy could boost the productivity and product development within agriculture, fisheries, forestry and the chemical industry. Finally, the bioeconomy creates new jobs in sparsely populated areas, by utilizing existing natural resources in new ways. Read more here!

Bio-economy Visions and Strategies

Today, I gave a keynote talk about bio-economy visions and strategies at a match making day organised by Nordic Forest Research. The event brought together researchers and stakeholders from the forestry, agriculture, environment and energy sectors. I talked about the role of visions and strategies in shaping the development of the bio-economy on regional, national and global scales. The event also involved brainstorming on the bioeconomy, sustainability, ecosystem services, technology and climate change.

Bioenergy and Sustainability - Bridging the Gaps

This major peer-reviewed Assessment was launched in São Paulo on 14 April 2015. It was developed under the aegis of SCOPE (Scientific Committee on Problems of the Environment) and a Scientific Advisory Committee and with the support of the São Paulo Research Foundation (FAPESP), São Paulo, Brazil. SCOPE also runs an interdisciplinary academic journal: Environmental Development. The Assessment editors were four highly-respected Brazilian scientists with an array of different academic backgrounds.

The Assessment includes 21 chapters in some 750 pages with contributions from 137 researchers with 82 institutions in 24 countries. It shows the conditions under which modern bioenergy can contribute to sustainable energy, climate and development objectives in light of other pressures associated with increasing food demands, preservation of forests, protected lands, and rising urbanisation. Summaries for policymakers and policy briefs were developed alongside and/or are soon to be finalized.

Press release: http://bioenfapesp.org/scopebioenergy/index.php/press-release

Report chapters: http://bioenfapesp.org/scopebioenergy/index.php/chapters

Next steps towards realizing the bio-economy in the Baltic Sea region

New networks have been established and new projects have been launched in the Baltic Sea region on the bio-economy. For two years the Nordic Council of Ministers has promoted the bio-economy agenda in the Baltic Sea region. At a conference in Warsaw, Poland on 4-5 March 2015 a new three years plan for this effort was planned and discussed. Check it out here.