An interview with Dirk Carrez, CEO of BIC. “We need to grow the bio-based sector. Why is Europe so slow?”

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Dirk Carrez

“We need to grow the bio-based sector. Especially, if you look at the challenges the world is facing. That means, not just research and innovation, but actually scaling-up the production of our new bio-based products and processes in Europe. For that, we need more investment in new biorefineries in Europe.” Dirk Carrez, CEO of BIC (Biobased Industries Consortium), a non-profit organisation set up in Brussels in 2013 to represent the private sector in a Public-Private Partnership (PPP) with the European Commission, talks to Il Bioeconomista about present and future of the European bioeconomy.

Interview by Mario Bonaccorso

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BIC published a Trend Report on how Europe can unleash the full potential of the bioeconomy

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Berlaymont, European Commission’s Headquarter in Brussels

For the first time, BIC has published a Trend Report on how Europe can unleash the full potential of the bioeconomy, enabling it to better contribute to the EU’s green transition. In 2012, the world admired Europe as a global frontrunner for launching its EU bioeconomy strategy. Today, the world and Europe look to other regions that are bolder in making the bioeconomy a strategic industry sector. In particular, the US with its recently-launched initiatives, but also China, India and the G20.

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What next for the European bio-based sector? CBE JU community will gather on 6-7 December in Brussels

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Virginia Puzzolo, Head of Program at CBE JU at IFIB 2023 in Florence

The CBE JU Stakeholder Forum 2023 will take place on 6-7 December in the Egg venue in Brussels, to discuss on the future of the European bio-based sector, visit the exhibition of innovative bio-based solutions and network with 600 CBE JU stakeholders. ’What next for the European bio-based sector?’ will be the main theme of the forum.

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Circular bioeconomy stakeholders are gathering in Florence at IFIB. The new Renaissance is led by the biological resources and the biotechnology

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Florence, the cradle of the Renaissance, is today and tomorrow the cradle of the Industrial Renaissance led by the circular bioeconomy. The Italian fascinating city is the world capital of the bioeconomy. The International Forum on Industrial Biotechnology and Bioeconomy (IFIB) is taking place in Tuscany this year at the Innovation Center of Fondazione CR Firenze.

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In October Rotterdam will host EFIB 2023. The program is now available

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Photo by Skitterphoto on Pexels.com

Rotterdam will be the center of gravity of the European Bioeconomy from 23 to 25 October. EFIB, the European Forum for Industrial Biotechnology and Bioeconomy, will be held in the Dutch city. The 2023 theme of ‘Industrial biotechnology for a sustainable and resilient global Europe’ reflects the historical strength of the Netherlands in global trade and its present position as one of the world’s biggest food exporters.

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bridge-rotterdam-erasmus-blue-735790.jpeg
Photo by Skitterphoto on Pexels.com

Rotterdam will be the center of gravity of the European Bioeconomy from 23 to 25 October. EFIB, the European Forum for Industrial Biotechnology and Bioeconomy, will be held in the Dutch city. The 2023 theme of ‘Industrial biotechnology for a sustainable and resilient global Europe’ reflects the historical strength of the Netherlands in global trade and its present position as one of the world’s biggest food exporters.

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Achieving sustainable competitiveness: CBE JU’s main contribution to the EU Green Deal

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In 13 September’s State of the Union address, President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen highlighted competitiveness, industrial modernisation, and nature preservation, among other European Commission achievements over the past year. CBE JU – the public-private partnership focus on bioeconomy claims – has contributed to these accomplishments by stimulating Europe’s industrial leadership, boosting innovative technological development and decarbonising the economy, among others. Last Thursday, CBE JU published a new set of infographics showing the joint undertaking’s support for the circular bio-based economy in each European country.

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IFIB 2023 goes to Florence. From 27 to 29 September the capital of the Renaissance will be the capital of global circular bioeconomy

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Florence, Italy, will be the capital of circular bioeconomy from 27 to 29 September. The International Forum on Industrial Biotechnology and Bioeconomy (IFIB) will be held in this beautiful city this year at the Innovation Center of Fondazione CR Firence.

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Biden Administration released a New Action Plan to expand Biotechnology and Biomanufacturing education and job training programs

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The Biden-Harris Administration released a new action plan to rapidly and equitably expand biotechnology and biomanufacturing education and job training programs in the United States. The action plan accompanies the second round of the Administration’s Investing in America tour, where President Biden, Vice President Harris, First Lady Jill Biden, Cabinet members, and Senior Administration Officials will visit communities benefitting from the historic levels of private sector investments mobilized by the President’s Investing in America Agenda. Since the beginning of the Biden-Harris Administration, private companies have announced $470 billion in manufacturing and clean energy investments, including in biomanufacturing.

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Government Minister visits Celtic Renewables on launch of new Circular Economy Bill

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New legislation to tackle waste by improving recycling rates and increasing reuse has been published by the Scottish Government. The Circular Economy (Scotland) Bill was introduced by Lorna Slater MSP, the Minister for Green Skills, Circular Economy and Biodiversity. The ambition of a circular economy is to generate a society where products are used and re-used for as long as possible, maximising their value and minimising waste, and where by-products are captured and used to create additional valuable commodities.

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Arkema raises its decarbonization targets

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Arkema, which had already strengthened its climate plan in July 2022, is setting new, even more ambitious targets by 2030 across its whole value chain, approved by the organization Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi), a partnership between CDP (Carbon Disclosure Project), United Nations Global Compact, WRI (World Resources Institute), and WWF (World Wide Fund for Nature). The Group now aims to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions by 48.5% for Scopes 1+2 and by 54% for Scope 3 by 2030 versus 2019.

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