“Through the substitution of fossil-based products and materials and through carbon sequestration (…) the bioeconomy can generate significant carbon savings to reduce the EU’s greenhouse gas emissions by at least 55% by 2030”, the anonymous official says. This will be underpinned by a Bioeonomy Progress Report that. the European Commission plans to publish in 2022. The report will assess the implementation of the 14 actions under the EU’s 2018 Bioeconomy Strategy.
Already it is obvious that Central and Eastern European countries are lagging behind. According to the official, the European Commission fully supports the coordinated efforts of these countries under the BIOEAST initiative and will continue to support it under the new research and innovation framework programme, Horizon Europe.
Raising awareness
Moreover, ro raise public awareness of the importance of the bioeconomy, it plans to launch a new Horizon Europe project on bioeconomy education that will focus on young people in primary and secondary education. The European Commission is convinced that younger generations needs to be prepared for their role in the transition to a circular and sustainable bioeconomy.
The EU Commission has also launched the Circular Bio-based Europe, a new public private partnership that will build on the success of its predecessor, Bio-based Industries Joint Undertaking (BBI JU), while stepping up its contribution to the EU’s climate targets, in line with the European Green Deal.
The new partnership will fund projects and support activities to further develop and expand the sustainable sourcing and conversion of biomass, and support circular approaches such as the use of biological waste, side streams and residues to produce new bio-based materials and products. Part of the research efforts will focus on innovations increasing the sustainability of the bio-based industry’s production processes. Establishing a robust sustainability and biodiversity monitoring system for the funded projects will be one of CBE JU’s main objectives.
Read the full article on the website of Il Bioeconomista.
Image: jantsarik/Shutterstock
