Society

International Women’s day: a tribute to all women who are making the bioeconomy happen

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The Bioeconomy is led by women. This year, as every year, for the International Women’s Day, we dedicate a tribute to all women who are making the bioeconomy happen all around the world. With their huge competences and their infinite passion, they are the stars of the world bioeconomy. Our best and warmest wishes to all women.

This is just a partial list.

Ylwa Alwarsdotter, Executive VP Sekab (Sweden)

Iris Aquilina Anderson, leader of the Bioladies Network (UK)

Catia Bastioli, CEO at Novamont (Italy)

Véronique de Bruijn, CEO at Photanol (Netherlands)

Joanna Dupont at EuropaBio (UE)

Carina Håkansson, DG at The Swedish Forest Industries Federation (Sweden)

Sarah Hickingbottom, CEO at BioVale (UK)

Jennifer Holmgren, CEO at Lanzatech (USA)

Virginia Klausmeier, CEO at Sylvatex (USA)

Christine Lang, chairwoman at German Bioeconomy Council (Germany)

Electra Papadopoulou, co-founder Greek Bioeconomy Forum (Greece)

Theodora Retsina, CEO at American Process (USA)

Kathryn Sheridan, CEO at Sustainability Consult (Belgium)

Mariagiovanna Vetere, Global Public Affairs at NatureWorks (USA)

Mari Walls, President and CEO at Natural Resources Institute Finland (LUKE)

Alex Ward, President at Origin Materials (Canada)

Marie Wheat, Industry Economist at USDA BioPreferred Program (USA)

Eleni Zika, Head of Programme at BBI JU (EU)

A new JRC report illustrates the work in building a database of EU facilities producing bioproducts

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The EU bio-based industry is quickly evolving but clear data on the development of this emerging sector are still missing. A new JRC report illustrates the work of the JRC in building an extensive database of EU facilities producing different categories of bio-based products:

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Unilever switches Ingman ice cream to fully renewable packaging material from Stora Enso

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Supporting the company’s environmental targets, Unilever Finland is introducing Ingman ice cream in a newly designed 1 litre carton made of Stora Enso’s fully renewable and recyclable packaging board in early March.

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Comet Bio selected by AB InBev to join its 100+ Accelerator to pilot technology on brewers’ grain

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Comet Bio, a Canadian manufacturer of award-winning healthy and sustainable ingredients, has been selected by Anheuser-Busch InBev (AB InBev), the world’s largest brewer, to join its 100+ Accelerator to pilot technology on brewers’ grain. Through the 100+ Accelerator, AB InBev partners with companies who can deliver breakthrough advancements in sustainability.  The 100+ Accelerator builds off of AB InBev’s 2025 Sustainability Goals, with six challenges around smart agriculture, water stewardship, circular economy and climate action.

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Japanese company Toray is going to start mass production of biopolyester jointly with Virent

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Image by MAKY OREL on Pixabay

Japanese materials maker Toray Industries is going to start mass production of polyester made entirely from plants, a breakthrough poised to cut reliance on petroleum and slash carbon emissions, Nikkei has learned. Toray developed what is being described as the world’s first 100% plant-based polyester jointly with Virent, a U.S. biofuels company. Production is set to begin in the early part of this decade, people familiar with the matter said.

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Nestlé joined forces with Burcon and Merit for plant-based alternatives

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Nestlé joined forces with Burcon and Merit, two key players in the development and production of high-quality plant proteins. This partnership will enable Nestlé to further accelerate the development of nutritious and great-tasting plant-based meat and dairy alternatives with a favorable environmental footprint.

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Novamont, Turin Polytechnic and University of Bologna launched the ReSoil Foundation in Italy

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Catia Bastioli, Ceo of Novamont

Novamont, Turin Polytechnic and University of Bologna launched in Rome, ReSoil Foundation, a new tool to boost a real change, starting from soil health and the key concept of territorial regeneration.

The new foundation aims at promoting activities in the fields of scientific research, technology transfer, training and dissemination, and the creation of awareness on issues related to soil health, a non-renewable resource, increasingly degraded by the anthropogenic action, pollution and climate change.

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Genomatica Hits Industry-First Milestone in Nylon Sustainability

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Christophe Schilling, CEO of Genomatica during his speech at the Grand Opening of Mater Biotech’s plant in Bottrighe di Adria, Italy

Eighty years after nylon’s first commercial production, clean manufacturing technology leader Genomatica achieved a new milestone for the material — its production of the world’s first renewably-sourced ton of the key ingredient for nylon-6, made from plants instead of crude oil.

Nylon, the first totally synthetic fiber to be made into consumer products including apparel and carpet, is responsible for an estimated 60 million tons of greenhouse gas emissions per year through traditional production which begins with crude oil. Continue reading →

Neste and Chicago Bulls’ Lauri Markkanen to spread climate awareness during away games this NBA season

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Neste’s new campaign has basketball player Lauri Markkanen dunking for a good cause. This season, Chicago Bulls player will be taking more than just his game to cities around the US. A series of basketball dunks designed by Markkanen will help raise awareness for extreme weather brought on by rising temperatures.

“The world hits new record average temperatures year on year, and catastrophic weather has been on the increase. More and more people as well as companies have already realized the seriousness of this issue. We hope that this collaboration with Lauri will help spread the message to new audiences. As a company focusing on renewable and circular solutions, fighting climate change is at the core of our business,” said Neste’s Marketing Director Sirpa Tuomi.

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BlackRock joins the Climate Action 100+

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Wall Street, New York City

BlackRock is the latest signatory to Climate Action 100+, an unprecedented global investor engagement initiative to ensure the world’s largest corporate greenhouse gas emitters take necessary action on climate change. 

With the addition of the world’s largest asset manager, with more than $6.8 trillion USD in assets under management, Climate Action 100+ continues to grow in size and influence. BlackRock joins more than 370 global investors already participating in the initiative. The addition of funds it manages, brings total assets under management represented by investors participating in Climate Action 100+ to more than $41 trillion.

“BlackRock is one of the largest and most influential asset managers in the world and will bring even more heft to investor engagement through Climate Action 100+,” said Emily Chew current Climate Action 100+ Steering Committee Chair and Global Head of ESG Research and Integration at Manulife Investment Management. “We look forward to working with BlackRock to build on the initiative’s success and work to ensure companies take the urgent and necessary action needed in response to the climate crisis.”  Continue reading →