The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) released a new report on the bioeconomy, “Indicators of the U.S. Biobased Economy”, which measures substantial economic growth, job creation, and household income for the agricultural sector from biofuel and bioenergy production. Moreover, it indicates great potential for additional prosperity from future growth in renewable chemicals and biobased products. BIO, the U.S. Biotechnology Innovation Organization, calculates that the global economic value of the biobased economy – including industrial biotechnology, renewable chemicals and polymers, biofuels, enzymes and biobased materials – is $355.28 billion.
Around 700 high-ranking representatives from politics, science, civil society and the business sector and from more than 70 countries met in Berlin, Germany, from 19 to 20 April to discuss the latest developments and challenges in the global bioeconomy. This was the second time that German Bioeconomy Council had organized the Global Bioeconomy Summit in the German capital. “We created an event format in the Global Bioeconomy Summit that succeeds in bringing together broad international expertise on bioeconomy, innovation, biodiversity and sustainability.
With the Food is Precious initiative IKEA aims to cut food waste by 50% in all IKEA stores by August 2020. A little more than a year since the roll out of the initiative IKEA has diminished food waste that is equivalent to one million meals.To put that into a context; one million meals could feed one thousand people for a whole year.
U.S. environmental group the League of Conservation Voters launched a $2 million campaign to press this year’s candidates for state and local office to embrace clean energy, citing a lack of leadership on the issue in Washington.
The marine biotechnology is high on the political agenda. Around 70 experts, company representatives and policy makers met at the European Parliament on March 21 to discuss what is needed for a successful European blue bioeconomy. The debate at the fully booked event revealed: the potential of the oceans is uncontested among experts, but its exploration requires close cooperation and knowledge sharing, a strong focus on sustainability, political commitment and finally, investor and consumer enthusiasm.
IL BIOECONOMISTA 