Environmental Engineering Reference
In-Depth Information
•
Social and political
: increasing energy and material self reliance; preservation
of finite fossil resources; reducing fossil carbon emissions as part of a range of
actions agreed in support of international climate change agreements and/or
national aspirations on greenhouse gas reduction targets; and supporting
disadvantaged rural economies.
•
Economic
: fostering innovation and high-value job creation; development of
added-value market opportunities; development of novel cheaper means of
production of high-value chemicals through application of biotechnology; and
insulating from potential increasing future fossil feedstock costs and fluctua-
tions in fossil fuel costs.
•
Technical
: new functionalities (e.g. biodegradability); and novel biosynthesis of
difficult-to-synthesise chemicals.
The social and political issues and job-creating opportunities identified above
provide the rationale for government interest, involvement and significant direct
investment to encourage the development of the bioeconomy sector. In contrast,
the economic and technical drivers influence industry interests in the sector. It can
however be difficult to decouple industry incentives from policy incentives that
also drive industry in the search for biobased solutions to particular problems,
such as reducing waste and reducing GHG emissions, where pressure is placed
directly on industry to deliver government, environmental or other objectives.
8.3 The Starting Point: Strategies for Change
The starting point for the development of measures to support the transition to a
biobased economy is the drafting of political or corporate strategies to address the con-
cerns highlighted in the previous section as drivers for change. More concrete meas-
ures and drivers can evolve from these, and this is where impact can be more effectively
monitored to assess progress towards the goals articulated in aspirational strategies.
For example, in 2012 the EU adopted a strategy and action plan entitled
Innovating for Sustainable Growth: a Bioeconomy for Europe
, with the aim of
shifting Europe towards greater and more sustainable use of renewable resources
including for industrial purposes. This was driven by the stated aim of transitioning
the EU from a fossil-based to a biobased economy, using research and innovation
as the key drivers. The actions are focused on three key themes: (1) developing
new technologies and processes for the bioeconomy; (2) developing markets and
competitiveness in bioeconomy sectors; and (3) encouraging policymakers and
stakeholders to work more closely together.
In a market currently estimated to be worth €2 trillion in Europe and employing
22 million people, each euro invested in EU-funded bioeconomy research and inno-
vation is expected to return €10 of value by 2025 (EU press release, February 2012).
The EU therefore clearly sees this sector as an engine for growth and prosperity.
Similarly, in the US in 2009 the National Research Council published the
report
A New Biology for the 21st Century
. The report stresses the potential of
