Bioeconomy

The bioeconomy is the part of the economy that uses renewable biological resources—such as crops, forests, and aquatic biomass—and related biotechnologies to produce food, energy, chemicals, materials, and services. It aims to substitute fossil resources with bio-based processes while promoting sustainable production and circularity.

Key components include agriculture, forestry, and fisheries; industrial biotechnology and biorefineries that convert biomass into biofuels, biochemicals, and bioproducts; and data-driven approaches such as precision agriculture, genomic selection, and synthetic biology.

Policies support the bioeconomy through national strategies, funding, and research infrastructure. In Europe, Asia, and the Americas, governments seek to mobilize investments to create jobs, reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and strengthen rural development. Metrics focus on the share of value added from bio-based products, life-cycle environmental performance, and feedstock sustainability.

Challenges include competition between food and non-food uses for biomass, land and water constraints, biodiversity impacts, technological and economic viability at scale, and regulatory and public acceptance issues for new biotechnologies.

The bioeconomy is often discussed as part of a broader transition toward a circular and low-carbon economy, integrating with sustainability goals and international development agendas.