Policy PaperBioeconomySocial challengeS and objectiveS of bioeconomy

Bioeconomy is the knowledge-based production and use of organic resources in order to provide products, procedures and services for all economic sectors in the framework of a sustainable economic system1. So, so-cial challenges – the so-called “Grand Challenges” – of the 21st century as well as the sustainable supply of a growing world population with qualitatively high and safe food, a reduction of greenhouse gas emissions and the shortage of resources should be managed while at the same time facilitating a sustainable development .2

ReSeaRch and innovation aRe integRal PaRtS foR coPing with theSe “gRand challengeS“3

Among the most important sectors of the bioeconomy are those of primary production (agriculture, forestry and fisheries), the food and feeding stuff industry, the wood-processing businesses, the pulp and paper in-dustry, as well as parts of the chemical and biotech-nological industry, and of renewable power industries4. These sectors generate an annual turnover of two tril-lion Euros and employ about 22 million people within Europe5.

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The European Bioeconomy Action Plan4 mentions the following main actions for attaining the objectives of the bioeconomy strategy: (i) investments in research, innovation and skills, (ii) reinforced policy interaction and stakeholder engagement, and (iii) enhancement of markets and competitiveness in the bioeconomy.

Therefore, synergies with other policies such as the Common Agricultural Policy, the Common Fishery Poli-cy as well as climate, environmental, industrial, employ-ment, energy and health policies should be enhanced. In addition, the development of regional and national bioeconomy strategies should be promoted.

fieldS of action and ReSeaRch

The development of a bioeconomy demands technolog-ical innovations, suitable socio-economic and eco-so-cial framework conditions as well as social changes with regard to diets, mobility behavior and consumption

patterns and along with that knowledge and technology transfers. The use of renewable resources should be re-alized under the proposition of resources efficiency and the cascade principle. The central fields of actions can be illustrated along the value added chain and include provision of raw materials, conversion of raw materi-als, products and services, consumption, and recycling. In order to achieve success, they are accompanied by cross-sectional fields of action (see table). In the field of primary production, we face the global challenge of providing sufficient raw materials for food supply as well as the material and energetic use. At the same time, it is essential to maintain or even improve soil fertility, con-serve the hydrologic budget, reduce greenhouse gas emissions and find suitable adaptation measures for climate change. This, for example, requires the appli-cation of modern breeding methods, an improvement in efficiency for nutrient uptake by plants, securing of energy and fertilizer supply, as well as improved plant protection. Land use and land use changes should be monitored comprehensively and regularly.

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fieldS of action and ReSeaRch foR bioeconomy with examPleS

Raw materials conversion Products and Services consumption Recycling

Primary Production, Biotechnology, Food Safety and Diets, Cascade Use Secondary Raw Bioefineries, Security, Quality and Mobility and of RawMaterials Innovative Safety Standards Consumption Materials Mechanic Behavior Conversion Important Cross-Sectional Issues: Socio-Economic Analyses, Sustainability Assessment, Knowledge and Technology Transfer

In the field of conversion, biotechnological production measures already replace numerous chemical process-es and help reduce emissions, waste production and the application of chemicals.

For example, biotechnological innovations as well as the targeted combination of established processes con-tribute significantly to the success of biorefineries. The range of products comprises, amongst others, biobased basic and fine chemicals, biopolymers, novel food and feeding stuff, biobased medicine or textile fibers.

Services should support the development of efficient process technologies and plant engineering as well as quality and safety standards for sustainable supply and consumption of biobased products. The consider-ation of “designing for recycling” and of cascade use allow an early re-use of quantitatively relevant bypass flows from food industry or raw and residual products respectively along the entire bio-chains of economic value added.

Using appropriate monitoring measures and integrative approaches for the development and governance of the bioeconomy assure comprehensive and balanced con-sideration of economic, ecological and social aspects. Hence, socio-economic analyses, sustainability assess-ment and knowledge and technology transfer are re-garded as important cross-sectional fields of action for a comprehensive research in the fields of bioeconomy. Thereby numerous research topics arise. These include the modelling of sustainable production potentials, technological impact assessment, continuous accom-panying research, and the evaluation of political instru-ments for the enhancement of bioeconomy.

StePS of imPlementation (exemPlified)

Development of a national bioeconomy strategy by in-cluding ministries and stakeholders.

u Optimized use of research programs on a national (for example, FWF, FFG, CDG) and European / inter-national level (for example, Horizon 2020, EU struc-tural funds, ERA) for the sustainable profile develop-ment of the national higher education and research competences in the fields of actions and research of the bioeconomy.

u Strengthening the cooperation and knowledge trans-fer between science, economy, and society, for exam-ple by means of knowledge transfer centers.

u Advancement, above all, of institutional framework conditions for the collaboration in European and in-ternational research programs.

1 BMELV (2013). Politikstrategie Bioökonomie - Nachwachsende Ressourcen und biotechnologische Verfahren als Basis für Er-nährung, Industrie und Energie.

2 BMLFUW (2010). Österreichische Strategie Nachhaltige En-twicklung (ÖSTRAT) – Ein Handlungsrahmen für Bund und Länder.

3 The importance of research and innovation is also stressed in the Austrian FTI-Strategy: Republik Österreich (2011). Der Weg zum Innovation Leader – Strategie der Bundesregierung für Forschung, Technologie und Innovation.

4 EC (2012), ‘Innovating for Sustainable Growth: A Bioeconomy for Europe’.

5 EC (2010). The Knowledge Based Bio-Economy (KBBE) in Eu-rope: Achievements and Challenges.

The development of bioeconomy

demands technological innovations,

suitable socio-economic and eco-social

framework conditions as well as social

changes with regards to food diets,

mobility behavior and consumption

patterns and along with that knowledge

and technology transfers.

ÖVAF

In 1977, the Austrian Union for Agricultural Research was founded as an independent research, coordination and counseling platform in the field of agronomy. It is not accountable to another authority in its decision-making. In order to satisfy the growing demands for a sustain-able design of economic activity in general and nature management in context with an adapted technology and innovation policy in particular, a topical widening of the ÖVAF was decided. ÖVAF now stands for “Austrian Union for Research in Agricultural and Environmental as well as Life Sciences”. ÖVAF is a non-profit-making or-ganization that is financed by its members (federal gov-ernment, provincial authorities, various organizations and individuals). It sees is central focus in taking up stra-tegic questions, making an issue out of them and help-ing develop respective approaches and solutions on the basis of an interdisciplinary scientific approach. In order to further position itself in this field, considering today’s frame conditions and the current structures it seems to be a consequential development project to increasingly establish ÖVAF as a topical think tank.www.oevaf.at

BIOS ScIence AuStrIA

BIOS Science Austria is an initiative of the main players in the Life Sciences in Vienna: The University of Natural Re-sources and Life Sciences (BOKU), the University of Vet-erinary Medicine as well as the Ministry of Life and its in-stitutions such as AGES – the Austrian Agency for Health and Food Safety, BFW – the Federal Research Center for Forests and UBA – the Environment Agency Austria. To-gether they want to concentrate resources in the field of life sciences, attune topics and by that create synergies. It is the objective to better compete as a strong alliance in an international environment. The organization that is not geared towards making profit wishes to promote research and teaching in the field of life sciences in Austria as well as the networking and cooperation of relevant institutions. In addition, it wants to communicate achievements in the field of life sciences to the public. The key issues especial-ly comprise the spread of knowledge related to research, investigation and analysis of the agricultural and forestry value added chain in a comprehensive way. Furthermore, aspects of veterinary medical interest in this context as well as aspects related to water supply and distribution, environment and biotechnology are also included. www.bios-science.at

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Legal information: Responsible for the contents: BIOS Science Austria & ÖVAF, Brochure design: Michaela Klement, Art design: Patricio Handl Print: Grasl Druck. Contact: weigl.oevaf@boku.ac.at