The bioeconomy is a worldwide used strategy to cope with ecological, social, and economic
sustainability challenges. However, we analyze current bioeconomy strategies and trends to point out
potential sustainability conflicts and transition challenges. Our analysis shows that the bioeconomy is
not sustainable per se, as mere input substitution may entail welfare losses. Instead, it requires further
debates and actions to avoid exacerbation of ecological and social strains. Sustainability has to be the
key concept behind the bioeconomy and predominantly requires (1) sustainability of the resource
base and (2) sustainability of processes and products, especially by (3) circular processes of material
fluxes, not least to gain consumer acceptance for bio-based products. Otherwise, the bioeconomy
would only entail the substitution of fossil resources for bio-based resources potentially lacking
the generation of additional societal and ecological benefits and contribution to climate mitigation.
As markets alone will not suffice to fulfil this path transition towards a sustainable bioeconomy,
we argue that innovative governance is necessary to reduce competitive drawbacks compared to
fossil resources (enabling function) and to secure ecological, social, and economic sustainability
requirements (limiting function).
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:DRESDEN/oai:qucosa:de:qucosa:84663 |
| Date | 11 April 2023 |
| Creators | Gawel, Erik, Pannicke, Nadine, Hagemann, Nina |
| Publisher | MDPI |
| Source Sets | Hochschulschriftenserver (HSSS) der SLUB Dresden |
| Language | English |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersion, doc-type:article, info:eu-repo/semantics/article, doc-type:Text |
| Rights | info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccess |
| Relation | 2071-1050, 3005 |
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