Bioeconomy will play a crucial role in delivering the European Union’s environmental and climate neutrality agenda. The farm sector is no exception and at least half of the nine objectives of the post-2020 EU Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) relate directly to this concept.
The recently updated bioeconomy strategy now looks more at the concept of circular economy in general than at the mere re-use of energy, with the aim to strengthen and scale up an already vibrant European bio-based sector.
Insulating homes, producing bioplastics, making organic fertilisers out of wastes: the application of the bioeconomy to the agriculture production creates new business opportunities, provides additional income for farmers and increases their competitiveness
But it also strengthens the role that the agriculture sector could have in environmental care and the protection of biodiversity.
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EU bets on bioeconomy to deliver farming aspects of the Green Deal
The European Commission and the member states intend to use the concept of bioeconomy as a tool to achieve political priorities at the core of the bloc's new environmental flagship policy when it comes to agriculture.
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French bio-waste finds second life in building insulation
By using hemp, brewers grains and spelt husk, many French SMEs are starting to manufacture natural insulation materials based on bio-sourced materials and biowaste, which have not previously been 're-purposed'. In other words, they are using 'green' alternative to conventional insulation. EURACTIV France reports.
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Bioeconomy hype shouldn’t put biodiversity preservation at risk, experts say
While experts claim that Poland could become key for the EU’s bioeconomy, scientists are calling for the sustainable use of forest resources in energy production. EURACTIV Poland reports.
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Leave nothing to waste in agriculture: Spain’s race to top circular economy
The agrifood sector has no intention of staying behind in the race for leading the circular economy, in which everything, even the tiniest waste from crops and industries, can have an added value and help the economic, environmental and social sustainability. EURACTIV’s partner EFEAGRO reports.
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Italy welcomes bioeconomy, kisses agricultural runoff goodbye
In 2017, Italy’s entire bioeconomy sector had a total turnover of €300 billion and, within 13 years, employed two million people. The country’s Bioeconomy Strategy was taken up a notch and made even more ambitious at the start of 2019. EURACTIV’s partner Agronotizie reports.
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Germany’s new bioeconomy strategy criticised for overlooking agriculture, food production
Germany's federal cabinet adopted a new bioeconomy strategy last week, and it has already been criticised for hardly mentioning agricultural reform and focusing 'too much' on technology and optimisation. EURACTIV Germany reports.
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Portuguese tech institute to produce advanced biofuels from tree-pruning-waste
A project to use the waste from pruning vines and fruit trees to produce advanced biofuel is being developed at the BLC3 Campus of Technology and Innovation in Oliveira do Hospital, the campus president said today. EURACTIV's partner Lusa.pt reports.
