International investors call for governments to work towards a sustainable recovery from COVID

A picture from the Bioeconomy Investment Summit 2017 in Helsinki

International investor groups, including the Asia Investor Group on Climate Change (AIGCC), have encouraged global governments to ensure they are planning for a sustainable recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic by factoring in climate change risk into economic recovery plans.

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An interview with Danilo Porro, President of Italian start-up Galatea Biotech

Danilo Porro, president of Galatea Biotech

“Today we can produce PLA directly from glucose, but in the future, we will obtain it starting from organic wastes and, looking more forward, from carbon dioxide”. To say it – in this interview with Il Bioeconomista – is Danilo Porro, professor at University of Milano Bicocca and President of Galatea Biotech, one of the most innovative Italian industrial biotech start-up company. Headquartered in Milan, Galatea has developed a new process to produce PLA from glucose.

Interview by Mario Bonaccorso

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World Bioeconomy Forum will be broadcast live from Ruka on September 10 because of Covid19

Ruka, Finland

This year’s third World Bioeconomy Forum (WCBEF) will be broadcast live from Ruka on September 10th, 2020. Due the current global pandemic the Advisory Board has decided to take a cautious approach and will provide delegates with a high-quality, interactive virtual event which will be moderated from Ruka in Finland. The event will deliver the usual high-level content, while at the same time as providing a unique experience for all bioeconomy stakeholders from around the world.

The full programme will be six hours in duration and will consist of four dedicated sessions: Regulators and Climate Change, Global Leaders and Financial World, Bioproducts around us, and Looking to the Future. The audience can contribute interactively on message walls and arrange online meetings with the other participants using the technology and channels provided. Continue reading

Swiss Syngenta and Danish Novozymes join forces to commercialize the biofungicide Taegro

Syngenta and Novozymes are entering the commercialization phase of the biofungicide Taegro. The two companies originally joined forces in 2012 to develop and market the product, and have now received the first wave of product approvals in Belgium, Bulgaria, Czech Republic, France, Germany, Greece, Honduras, Italy, Netherlands, Romania, Slovenia, Spain, and United Kingdom. Several other approvals are expected across the EU and Latin America during the next 12 months, which will enable multiple product launches in 2020.

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Braskem is securing the supply of polypropylene polymers for the production of respiratory masks and protective medical gear

Braskem, producer of polyolefins and biopolymers, is meeting the polypropylene raw material needs of medical manufacturing customers for the production of respiratory masks as well as protective medical gear.

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“The bioeconomy gives us new tools and opportunities to exploit this chaotic time”. An interview with Tony Duncan, CEO Circa Group

Tony Duncan, CEO of Circa Group, at IFIB 2018 in Turin

“Within the bioeconomy we have a massive range of new tools and opportunities to exploit this chaotic time.” To say it – in this long exclusive interview with Il Bioeconomista – is Tony Duncan, CEO of Circa Group, the Australia-based biochemical company, which is revolutionizing the traditional chemical sector. With him we talk about his company and the bioeconomy in the COVID-19 age.

Interview by Mario Bonaccorso

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In Brussels launched an alliance for a green recovery from the Covid-19 pandemic

European Parliament, Brussels

An alliance has been launched in the European Parliament on the back of calls from 12 EU environment ministers who have signed an appeal for a green recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic. The “green recovery alliance” was launched last Monday at the initiative of Pascal Canfin, a French centrist MEP who chairs the European Parliament’s committee on environment and public health.

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Nouryon introduced a natural film-forming polymer for use in high SPF emulsion sunscreens

Nouryon introduced a natural film-forming polymer for use in high sun protection factor (SPF) emulsion sunscreens. SolAmaze™ Natural, which is bio-based and readily biodegradable, addresses the fast-growing consumer demand for natural and clean label ingredients in personal care products.

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Clariant started monthly production of 2 million liters of disinfectant using bioethanol

Hariolf Kottmann, Ceo of Clariant

Clariant, a focused and innovative specialty chemical company, today announced it has started monthly production of 2 million liters of disinfectant at its facilities in Gendorf, Germany. This disinfectant is then directly or via repacking partners provided to regional hospitals and other vital institutions in Bavaria, who are currently facing limited availability of this critical product during the COVID-19 outbreak.

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A Story from the Near Future

It’s awesome! The emergency is finally over. We can go back to our life. The virus was defeated without waiting for the vaccine, because we all behaved in the best way, staying at home and respecting the physical distance. Now we can go back to meet, talk to each other and, if necessary, also to hug. We’ll always remember all the dead people and the sufferings. And also the physicians and nurses and all the people who spent themselves on others.

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