The European Bioeconomy Strategy is a policy addressing all Member States with a multi-sectoral approach. The goals of this Strategy are: (I) food and nutrition security, (II) sustainable management of natural resources (III) reduction of dependence on non-renewable and unsustainable resources, (IV) climate change adaptation and mitigation, (V) strengthened European competitiveness and increased job opportunities. The strategy contributes to the European Green Deal, as well as industrial, circular economy and clean energy innovation strategies. They all highlight the importance of a sustainable, circular bioeconomy to achieve their objectives. Food and nutrition security will be ensured by accelerating the transformation towards sustainable, healthy, nutrition-sensitive, resource-efficient, resilient, circular and inclusive food and farming systems. This transformation focuses on turning organic waste, residues and food discards into valuable and safe bio-based products, with the aim of helping farmers, foresters and fishermen to diversify their revenue sources and better manage market risks by deploying small-scale biorefineries. Moreover, a sustainable bioeconomy is the renewable segment of the circular economy which can create the innovations and incentives to help retailers and consumers cut food waste by 50% by 2030. SO2: The Strategy sets forth actions for all sectors and systems that rely on biological resources, such as animals, plants, micro-organisms and derived biomass, including organic waste. Sustainable management and protection of natural resources will be ensured by restoring terrestrial (agricultural and forest) and marine ecosystems and their biodiversity, and enhancing ecosystem functions, which can increase food and water security. This Strategy lays down actions to support rural and coastal development, also in remote areas. Employment opportunities will be increased particularly in coastal and rural areas through the deployment of a sustainable European bioeconomy which will provide an important source of income diversification for farmers, foresters and fishermen, and to boost local rural economies through increased investment in skills, knowledge, innovation and new business models. Information systems will be developed to acquire more data, generate better information and systemic analysis of data and information, including the status and resilience of ecosystems and their biodiversity and sustainable biomass availability as well as public and private bioeconomy investments. In addition, an EU-wide, internationally coherent monitoring system will be implemented to track the progress towards a sustainable, circular bioeconomy in Europe and to underpin related policy areas. Ecosystems will be preserved through investments, innovation, developing strategies and implementing systemic changes in cross-cutting different sectors, such as agriculture, forestry, fisheries, aquaculture, food, biobased industry. EU industrial base will be modernized and strengthened through the creation of new value chains and greener, more cost-effective industrial processes, in order to support a sustainable European bioeconomy. A sustainable bioeconomy will be achieved to reduce greenhouse gases emissions by promoting more resource efficient, active and sustainable primary production practices on land and sea, as well as by enhancing the capacity of ecosystems to regulate climate, including the deployment of carbon farming innovations. To this end, ecosystem degradation will be prevented to maintain their contribution substantially to the adaptation and mitigation of climate change through negative emissions and carbon sinks. Furthermore, emissions will be reduced in the European Energy sector and EU renewable energy targets will be met through bioenergy.
2018-10-01