While it may not always seem like it, our world is slowly becoming more eco-conscious. People, and particularly those in younger generations, are recognizing the threats of climate change and looking for ways to contribute to a healing effort. There’s still a great deal of work to be done though, and right now, in the spring of 2020, we may be at something of a crossroads.
The Bio-based Industries Consortium (BIC), Europe’s leading industry association putting circularity, innovation and sustainability at the heart of the European bioeconomy, has partnered with the European Committee of Regions (CoR) to develop a new partnering platform to connect the bio-based industries and European regions.
Royal DSM, a purpose-led, global science-based company active in Nutrition, Health and Sustainable Living, launched its new, high-quality life’sDHA® SF55-O200DS oil for maternal and early life nutrition solutions. Offering a higher potency, this ingredient contains a minimum of 550 mg/g natural triglyceride DHA (docosahexaenoic acid), allowing manufacturers to achieve equivalent dosages of DHA in smaller product formats and meet the latest maternal nutrition trend for convenient capsule and tablet sizes.
Two Canadian companies will collaborate on innovative technology to close the loop on recycling and drive a plastics circular economy. Nova Chemicals, a leading producer of chemicals and plastic resins, and Enerkem, a world-leading waste to renewable fuels and chemicals producer, have entered into a joint development agreement to explore turning non-recyclable and non-compostable municipal waste into ethylene, a basic building block of plastics.
“I am convinced that this crisis will teach us many lessons and I am sure that the day after will find us working together to kick-star again our economies and drive our recovery towards a more resilient, green and digital EU.” Philippe Mengal, Executive Director of BBI JU, talks to Il Bioeconomista. In this exclusive interview, he tells us how the European bioeconomy is reacting to the crisis of coronavirus.
Interview by Mario Bonaccorso
After the approval by regulatory authorities, Neste has closed the acquisition of Mahoney Environmental (Mahoney), a leading collector and recycler of used cooking oil in the United States, and its affiliated entities.
International investor groups, including the Asia Investor Group on Climate Change (AIGCC), have encouraged global governments to ensure they are planning for a sustainable recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic by factoring in climate change risk into economic recovery plans.
“Today we can produce PLA directly from glucose, but in the future, we will obtain it starting from organic wastes and, looking more forward, from carbon dioxide”. To say it – in this interview with Il Bioeconomista – is Danilo Porro, professor at University of Milano Bicocca and President of Galatea Biotech, one of the most innovative Italian industrial biotech start-up company. Headquartered in Milan, Galatea has developed a new process to produce PLA from glucose.
Interview by Mario Bonaccorso
This year’s third World Bioeconomy Forum (WCBEF) will be broadcast live from Ruka on September 10th, 2020. Due the current global pandemic the Advisory Board has decided to take a cautious approach and will provide delegates with a high-quality, interactive virtual event which will be moderated from Ruka in Finland. The event will deliver the usual high-level content, while at the same time as providing a unique experience for all bioeconomy stakeholders from around the world.
The full programme will be six hours in duration and will consist of four dedicated sessions: Regulators and Climate Change, Global Leaders and Financial World, Bioproducts around us, and Looking to the Future. The audience can contribute interactively on message walls and arrange online meetings with the other participants using the technology and channels provided. Continue reading
Syngenta and Novozymes are entering the commercialization phase of the biofungicide Taegro. The two companies originally joined forces in 2012 to develop and market the product, and have now received the first wave of product approvals in Belgium, Bulgaria, Czech Republic, France, Germany, Greece, Honduras, Italy, Netherlands, Romania, Slovenia, Spain, and United Kingdom. Several other approvals are expected across the EU and Latin America during the next 12 months, which will enable multiple product launches in 2020.
IL BIOECONOMISTA 