Transformation pathways to the circular use of plant-based raw materials (LauTra) Societal challenges and governance of new value added networks in the structural change region Lusatia

In the Lusatia region (Saxony), fiber crops such as hemp and flax, as well as agricultural and municipal waste materials like straw and leaves, offer potential for bio-based value added that has remained largely untapped to date. The LauTra project is investigating how these regional raw materials can serve as the starting point for a circular, bio-based economic model – and what social and structural conditions are necessary to achieve this. 

As a region undergoing structural change, Lusatia must manage the phase-out of lignite and is dependent on sustainable, regional development paths. The LauTra project team assumes that successful transformation processes cannot be achieved through technological innovation alone. Rather, they depend significantly on the interests, positions, and power dynamics of the actors involved. “Bottom-up” approaches that are developed within the region itself are particularly promising in this regard. 

The project pursues three interrelated aims: First, the actor constellation along existing bioeconomic value chains is systematically analyzed. Second, through a dialogue-oriented process, LauTra develops transformation pathways that engage diverse actor groups – ranging from progressive innovators to more conservative actors. Third, these pathways are developed and evaluated in an integrated manner by linking modeled material flows with actor perspectives. 

The project is being implemented by the IÖW in collaboration with the Zittau/Görlitz University of Applied Sciences and a broad network of regional business and society actors.