Bioeconomy in the South Baltic Area: Biomass-based Innovation and Green Growth
The BioBIGG project will be hosting a cross-broader workshop on the the 6th and 7th of December in Roskilde. The focus of the workshop will be unlocking the innovation potential related to utilisation of biomass-based residues found in and along value chains in the South Baltic and sharing knowledge. Participation in the workshop is free of charge. Please download the programme and register below.
One of the BioBIGG partners, the University of Greifswald, led a significant step towards a regional network for the bioeconomy in north eastern Germany by submitting a strategy for the implementation phase of the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research’s (BMBF) programme “Innovation and Structural Transformation” (German: WIR! – Wandel durch Innovation in der Region). The University of Greifswald and its core partners in the Plant³ consortium had already been successful in the concept phase of the WIR! programme, where Plant3 was one of 32 projects selected for funding by the BMBF.
The goal of Plant³ is to utilise the large stock of plant-based raw materials in north eastern Germany to make high value products in order to induce the transformation of the regional economy towards the bioeconomy. During the concept phase (March – October 2018) the four core partners, the University of Greifswald, WITENO GmbH, Wirtschaftsfördergesellschaft Vorpommern mbH and Enzymicals AG involved more regional actors from business, research institutions and NGOs as active partners in the Plant³ alliance. Several workshops were organised to define a shared strategy, develop the structure of the alliance, identify priority projects and activate partners (see pictures). Roskilde University is one interested partner and signed an LOI in the context of BioBIGG to support the alliance. In spring 2019, the BMBF will announce the successful alliances which will then be funded in the implementation phase. If the Plant³ strategy is selected up to €15 million in Federal funding could flow into the region in the next five years.
Plant³ builds on the strengths of the region of Western Pomerania: the multifarious renewable resources growing on agricultural land, wetland sites and in coastal waters will allow the region to take a pioneering role in the bioeconomy. Based on strategies for the high-value processing of plant-based raw materials, like arable crops, reed, or algae, the alliance aims to transform the economy of north eastern Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania. The vision behind Plant³ is that by 2030, products made from renewable plant-based raw materials will make a significant contribution to the total economic output of the region. Special emphasis will be put on high-value foodstuffs, pharmaceuticals, cosmetics, fine chemicals, building and other materials.
North eastern Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania is characterised by low population density and agriculture. The regional economy is marked by a lack of large companies and a lower than average share of manufacturing. It is a typical under-developed region. Yet it also an ideal place for the implementation of the bioeconomy. Due to the availability of sites (on agricultural land, wetlands, and in coastal waters) where renewable resources grow, the region can take a leading role in the transformation of the petrochemical-based economy to a bio-based, circular economy.
The updated bioeconomy strategy was presented at the end of October 2018 in Brussels. The updated 2018 Bioeconomy Strategy emphasises the importance of the development of a sustainable and circular bioeconomy aiming on maximising its contribution to the 2030 Agenda and its Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), as well as the Paris Agreement.
The action plan that is a part of the updated 2018 Bioeconomy strategy focuses on three main actions to archive its aim, including 14 sub-actions:
1) Strengthen and scale up the bio-based sectors, unlocking investment and markets
2) Deploy local bioeconomies rapidly across the whole of Europe
3) Understand the ecological boundaries of the bioeconomy
Action 1: Strengthen and scale up the bio-based sectors, unlocking investment and markets
This action is aimed at accelerating the development of a sustainable and circular biomass-based solution in Europe, by increasing the number of public and private stakeholders involved in the research, demonstration and implementation of bio-based solutions. This will, among other things, be achieved through the EU public-private partnership on Bio-Based Industries and launch of the €100 million Circular Bioeconomy Thematic Investment Platform both under Horizon 2020 and alongside the development of new standards and labels for bio-based products.
Action 2: Deploy local bioeconomies rapidly across the whole of Europe
The aim of this action is to develop a Strategic Development Agenda that will ensure a long-term vision and pathways to deploy and scale up the bioeconomy in a sustainable and circular way at the local level. This will include pilot actions showcasing the potential of the bioeconomy for rural, coastal and urban areas together with EU bioeconomy policy support for members state set up under Horizon 2020.
Action 3: Understand the ecological boundaries of the bioeconomy
The aim of this action is to become better at understanding and measuring the effects and impacts of local and regional biomass supply within safe ecological limits. This knowledge will also provide the foundation for other actions in the strategy and will ensure that the development of the bioeconomy is systematically monitored and reported to optimise governance and policy-making at the national, regional and local level and to ensure that it is coherent and sustainable.
Learn more about the new bioeconomy strategy here.
The projects BioBIGG and COASTAL Biogas were part of this year’s edition of POL-ECO SYSTEM in Poland.
The International Trade Fair for Environmental Protection POL-ECO SYSTEM is the largest and most important event in Poland and Central and Eastern Europe, presenting advanced technologies, solutions and products for sustainable development.
During the Workshop ‘Green Projects in the Interreg South Baltic Programme’ the BioBIGG project was presented to other Interreg projects in the region and interested stakeholders. The Interreg project ‘COASTAL-Biogas’, which is coordinated by the FNR, was presented as well.
Within BioBIGG FNR is leading a Work Package and engages in the task to build a transnational network of stakeholders in the South Baltic Region. To find out more about the ‘COASTAL-Biogas’ project, visit their homepage