The fifth World Bioeconomy Forum was broadcasted on 7 – 8 September 2022 from Ruka, Finland. Stakeholders of the circular bioeconomy from nearly 50 countries on various continents participated in the online event. As the 2022 forum’s title World BioEconomy Forum talks on climate – live from Ruka! entails, the central theme focused on exchanging views on climate issues. (World BioEconomy Forum 2022.) In his opening speech, Jukka Kantola (2022), Founder, stressed the necessity of bioeconomy and bio-based products to be incorporated in the climate change mitigation policy toolbox, e.g., in the compliance or voluntary carbon offset markets.
EU Bioeconomy Strategy
The 2012 European Bioeconomy strategy was updated in 2018. The update aimed to contribute to the European Green Deal objectives and circular economy, energy, and industrial strategies better. (European Commission 2018.) Thus, the updated strategy helps to meet the EU goal of Europe becoming the first climate-neutral continent by 2050 (European Commission 2022).
According to John Bell, Director Healthy Planet, DG Research & Innovation at European Commission, bioeconomy is a catalyst for systemic change within and across many of our systems and sectors; industrial, food, forestry, blue economy, and biotechnology. The change needs to be done in just a fair manner, tackling economic, social, and environmental aspects of sustainability. Only a bioeconomy that has circularity embedded in its heart can lead to the green transition of our economy and society. (Bell 2022.)
New Finland Bioeconomy Strategy
The deployment of national and regional bioeconomy strategies in Europe is one of the highest EU priorities to build a sustainable and carbon-neutral future. During the opening ceremony, Mika Lintilä (2022), Minister of Economic Affairs of Finland, emphasized the role of an innovative and overall sustainable bioeconomy in reaching the economic green transition and meeting the target of Finland being climate-neutral already by 2035.
The Finland Bioeconomy Strategy 2022-2035 was approved in April 2022. In the update, opportunities leading to doubling the value added of the bioeconomy by 2035 in a sustainable manner were identified. For that, a comprehensive and systematic action plan was designed. (Lintilä 2022.)
Developing Circular Bioeconomy Policies on Regional Level
A six-year lasting BIOREGIO – Regional circular economy models and best available technologies for biological streams – project aimed at developing bio-based circular economy policies on the regional level. The Interreg Europe co-funded project was led by LAB University of Applied Sciences and gathered eight partners from Finland (2x), Spain, Slovakia, Greece (2x), Romania, and France.
Based on mutual knowledge exchange between the project partners and stakeholders, six regional action plans with concrete actions to boost the circular bioeconomy were designed. Related policy changes and short-term objectives were achieved, and the long-term actions will further continue. Link to BIOREGIO Action Plans page.
Author
Katerina Medkova works as an RDI specialist at LAB University of Applied Sciences and is the BIOREGIO Communication Manager. BIOREGIO is an Interreg Europe-funded project that started in January 2017 and lasts until December 2022. LAB University of Applied Sciences acts as BIOREGIO’s lead partner.
References
Bell, J. 2022. Opening Ceremony. Speech given at the World BioEconomy Forum talks on climate – live from Ruka! an online event on 8.9.2022.
European Commission. 2018. A sustainable bioeconomy for Europe: strengthening the connection between economy, society and the environment: updated bioeconomy strategy. Directorate-General for Research and Innovation. Luxembourg: Publications Office of the European Union. Cited 4 Oct 2022. Available at https://data.europa.eu/doi/10.2777/792130
European Commission. 2022. 2050 long-term strategy. Cited 4 Oct 2022. Available at https://climate.ec.europa.eu/eu-action/climate-strategies-targets/2050-long-term-strategy_en
Kantola, J. 2022. Opening Ceremony. Speech given at the World BioEconomy Forum talks on climate – live from Ruka! an online event on 8.9.2022.
Lintilä, M. 2022. Opening Ceremony. Speech given at the World BioEconomy Forum talks on climate – live from Ruka! an online event on 8.9.2022.
Mazumder, A. 2018. l Person Holding A Green Plant. Pexels. Cited 4 Oct 2022. Available at https://www.pexels.com/photo/person-holding-a-green-plant-1072824/
World BioEconomy Forum. 2022. Global platform for the circular bioeconomy: The Bioeconomy Celebrates Nature. Cited 4 Oct 2022. Available at https://wcbef.com/
Links
Link 1. Interreg Europe. 2022b. Action Plans. BIOREGIO. Cited 4 Oct 2022. Available at https://projects2014-2020.interregeurope.eu/bioregio/action-plans/
Link 2. Interreg Europe. 2022a. Project Summary. BIOREGIO. Cited 4 Oct 2022. Available at https://projects2014-2020.interregeurope.eu/bioregio/
