Nouryon expanded its offering to customers in the personal care market with a bio-based polymer, Amaze SP, helping formulators to meet the latest consumer trends in hair styling. The new polymer is a result of formerly AkzoNobel Specialty Chemicals’ exclusive global supply agreement with Itaconix to market bio-based polymers to customers in the personal care market.
Society
The book “What is the bioeconomy” is finally here
Climate change, population growth, soil degradation, biodiversity loss. These are the main challenges that humanity is called to face at the beginning of the millennium. The bioeconomy is one of the keys to tackling them and overcoming them, reconciling the economy, the environment and society. Based on the use of renewable biological resources as raw materials for industrial, energy, food and feed production, according to the European Union it has the potential to create at least one million jobs by 2030. The book that I wrote together with Irene Baños Ruiz aims at drawing a precise and up-to-date picture of the concept of bioeconomy, its origins, connections with sustainability and the circular economy and the multiple applications that we find in different products of our daily life.
I would like to thank particularly Philippe Mengal, executive director at BBI JU, and Marc Palahì, director at the European Forest Institute, who have written in a truly passionate way the foreword and the introduction of the book. Now “Che cosa è la bioeconomia” (What is the bioeconomy) is available only in Italian, soon also in English.
I would also like to thank all those who have accepted to be interviewed (Fabio Fava, Chris Patermann, Catia Bastioli, Massimo Centemero, Sandy Marshall, Mathieu Flamini, Jennifer Holmgren, Michael Carus and Frank Rijsberman) and in general all those who are making the sustainable and circular bioeconomy possible worldwide.
Mario Bonaccorso
Today is the International Day of Forests
Today is the International Day of Forests, which promotes education to learn to love forests. Europe – as a global leader on climate action – is working to make forests a priority for the bio-economy and water policies. Over 50 cities from six continents are coalescing around a new initiative called Cities4Forests that connects citizens and decision-makers with inner, nearby and faraway forests around the world to help end deforestation and advocate for a stronger role of forests and nature.
An interview with Christophe Rupp-Dahlem: “Roquette is taking a holistic approach of bioeconomy”
“Roquette is taking a holistic approach of bioeconomy by integrating various applications of plant-based resources and in particular those serving Nutrition and Health markets.” Christophe Rupp-Dahlem, Head of Global Public Affairs at Roquette, talks to Il Bioeconomista. In this exclusive interview he tells us what are Roquette’s main achievements in the bioeconomy and what the next steps.
Interview by Mario Bonaccorso
International Women’s day: a tribute to all women who are making the bioeconomy happen
More and more women are protagonists of the bioeconomy. 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.
Shell will become a partner in Europe’s first advanced waste-to-chemicals facility in Rotterdam
Royal Dutch Shell will join a consortium of world-leading companies comprising Air Liquide, Nouryon (formerly AkzoNobel Specialty Chemicals), Enerkem and the Port of Rotterdam as a partner in Europe’s first advanced waste-to-chemicals facility in Rotterdam, the Netherlands. Shell will become an equal equity partner in the proposed commercial-scale waste-to-chemicals (W2C) project, which will be the first of its kind in Europe to make valuable chemicals and bio-fuels out of non-recyclable waste materials.
The 2020 Olympic Games in Tokyo will be bio-based thanks to Polytan and Braskem
In 2016 the International Hockey Federation announced a partnership with SportGroup’s leading brand, Polytan, as World Cup and Olympic Partner and supplier of hockey fields for the 2018 and 2022 hockey World Cups as well as the 2020 Olympic games in Tokyo.
Etihad operated its first commercial flight using sustainable fuel from Abu Dhabi to Amsterdam
The Sustainable Bioenergy Research Consortium (SBRC), a non-profit entity established by Masdar Institute that is part of Khalifa University of Science and Technology, announced the world’s first commercial flight using locally produced sustainable fuel on an Etihad Airways Boeing 787 powered by GE’s GEnx-1B engines.
The flight from Abu Dhabi to Amsterdam marked a major milestone in the development of a clean, alternative aviation fuel to reduce carbon emissions. The initiative also addresses food security in the UAE through the farming of seafood as a core element in the process.
An interview with Jürgen Eck CEO BRAIN AG, the Most Innovative Bioeconomy CEO 2018
“Innovation is the key for the transformation towards a bioeconomy, and industrial biotechnology is the driving force and innovation engine for this megatrend”. Jürgen Eck, CEO BRAIN AG, talks with Il Bioeconomista. In this exclusive interview, the Most Innovative Bioeconomy CEO 2018 voted by our readers, talks about his company, the bioeconomy and the concept of innovation.
Interview by Mario Bonaccorso
After Brexit, the UK government launches the National Bioeconomy Strategy
UK is finally on board. The government led by Theresa May launched last week the National Bioeconomy Strategy “Growing the Bioeconomy. Improving lives and strengthening our economy: A National Bioeconomy strategy to 2030”.
