How sustainable is bioeconomy really? Impulses for a change of perspective for a socially and environmentally just economy
The bioeconomy is seen by many actors in politics and business as a beacon of hope for a sustainable economy. However, with an increasing use of biological resources in a growth-based economic system, it can exacerbate environmental and social problems. This is especially true in light of planetary boundaries and the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Therefore there is a need to critically address the question of what a sustainable and equitable bioeconomy can look like.
The information sheet for the interested public is intended to invite critical reflection on the concept of the bioeconomy and provide impetus for this. It provides an overview of developments to date and critical voices of the bioeconomy, which focuses on growth and efficiency as well as technological innovations. Four topics are considered for critical reflection: the finite availability of biological resources, the need for alternative cultivation practices, the need for a fair distribution of wealth, and the abandonment from the currently propagated growth paradigm. This reflection is intended to provide impetus for a change of perspective towards a sustainably oriented bioeconomy that questions current production and consumption patterns and promotes new, socio-ecologically oriented concepts.
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In addition to this information sheet, individual infosheets provide more in-depth information on the topics considered as background material for the societal dialog envisaged in the "Change of Perspective Bioeconomy" project as part of the Bioeconomy Science Year 2020/21.
