The European Commission has launched a comprehensive EU Startup and Scaleup Strategy, aiming to make the EU the world’s top destination for technology-driven innovative companies. One of the key components of this strategy is the expansion of the European Innovation Council (EIC), which plays a vital role in fostering innovation and entrepreneurship across Europe.
Everything is ready in Catania to host the first edition of the BioINSouth Forum. The Sicilian city will be the Mediterranean capital of bioeconomy from June 4 to June 6, thanks to the forum that will bring together leaders and experts from various sectors and disciplines from South Europe and beyond. They discuss and outline the R&I priorities in bioeconomy, in conjunction with the particularities of the South European regions.
Pope Francis passed away yesterday morning. We want to remember him also for the messages he delivered on the climate and environmental crises, which were forceful and direct. He called the leaders of fossil fuel companies into the Vatican to hold them to account; declared a global climate emergency, in 2019; and in his final months, held a conference on “the economics of the common good”. He was a prowerful pope, alongside the poor and migrants, against wars. For these reasons Pope Francis was loved even by non-Catholic and non-religious people.
Here you find the Encyclal letter “Laudato Si’” on care for our Common Home. It recognized climate change as a global problem with significant consequences, especially for the poor, and criticized developed countries, which have contributed the most planet-heating pollution.
We know that Jorge Mario Bergoglio’s first big environmental move after being elected leader of the Catholic Church was his choice of the papal name Francis after Saint Francis of Assisi, known among other things for his appreciation of the natural world.
The World Expo serves as a global platform that unites people and innovations from around the world to tackle challenges facing humanity on an international scale. This year the event that welcomes tens of millions of visitors takes place in Osaka, Japan, and hosts a partnership between Stora Enso and the Czech National Pavilion. Over 800 m³ of Sylva™ CLT elements are being used for the ground-breaking PEFC-certified wood structure of the pavilion with a glazed façade aimed to inspire the world with its innovative use of materials.
Vancouver, Canada, will host the second edition of the Forest Innovation and Bioeconomy Conference on May 6-8 organized by the British Columbia Government. FIBC is a premier event showcasing the development and manufacturing of innovative bio-sourced products and high-value applications. It represents – the organizers say – an opportunity to discover what’s new in innovative bioproduct research and the latest commercialization initiatives and discuss how the Forest Bioeconomy intertwines with other sectors.
Catania will be the Mediterranean capital of bioeconomy from June 4 to June 6. In the Italian city located at the heart of Southern Europe will take place the first edition of the BioINSouth Forum, hosted by the Aula Magna of the University of Catania.
Gregory Jaffe was Senior Advisor for Regulatory Affairs in the Office of the Secretary at USDA during the Biden Administration. He is now Founder and President of a policy consulting firm based in Washington DC, specializing in agriculture, food, environmental, and climate policy, both domestic and international.
In this exclusive interview with Il Bioeconomista, he talks about the prospects for the bioeconomy in the United States under the new Trump Administration and the relations between the United States and the European Union in this new era of tariffs.
“The Trump Administration – Jaffe says – will need to ensure the United States has an enabling environment that supports biotechnology, biomanufacturing, and the bioeconomy”.
Interview by Mario Bonaccorso
The first mill was built along the Ala-Kelvänjoki river in 1666.The last mill is still in place, a reminder of the history of the area.
UPM is participating in the NorthDIVeRSITY project led by the Natural Resources Institute Finland (Luke), which is developing eDNA (Environmental DNA) tools for monitoring fish and forest species suitable for the Nordic nature. The project aims to find more effective methods for monitoring the effects of restoration, for example, by studying species distribution before and after restoration.
UPM Timber has launched a carbon storage calculator on its website. With the carbon storage calculator, wood industry professionals, UPM Timber’s customers and consumers can easily calculate the amount of carbon sequestered in wood raw material and examine its climate impacts.
Yesterday, the Commission presented the Clean Industrial Deal, a bold business plan to support the competitiveness and resilience of European industry. “The Deal will accelerate decarbonisation, while securing the future of manufacturing in Europe.” “Faced with high energy costs and fierce and often unfair global competition, our industries – the EU Commission stated – need urgent support. This Deal positions decarbonisation as a powerful driver of growth for European industries. This framework can drive competitiveness as it gives certainty and predictability to companies and investors that Europe remains committed to become a decarbonised economy by 2050.”
IL BIOECONOMISTA 