CORDIS Results Pack on innovative bioeconomy solutions published

The finished CLIB project FuturEnzyme has been included into an innovation report from the European Commission:

Strengthening the EU’s prosperity through sustainable and circular bioeconomy innovations

Sustainable and circular bioeconomy innovations can help safeguard our quality of life and deliver benefits for people, planet and prosperity. Bioeconomy innovations will reduce Europe’s dependency on non-renewable resources and imports, and reinforce the connection between the economy, society and the environment. They contribute to climate change mitigation and adaptation, while enhancing sustainable competitiveness of European industries and businesses. This CORDIS Results Pack features 15 EU-funded research and innovation projects in the field of bioeconomy, showcasing a wide range of benefits, from reducing environmental impacts to generating jobs.

Bioeconomy solutions work with renewable biological resources to conserve, restore, produce or consume food, materials, products or energy, including through cutting-edge technologies. They contribute to increased circularity, minimising waste and pollution, and maximising the use of materials and side streams, increasing the lifespan of products for as long as possible. By combining these two approaches, the sustainable and circular bioeconomy supports the EU in achieving its climate and renewable energy goals by 2030, and climate neutrality (net-zero greenhouse gas emissions) by 2050. Fossil dependency and pollution are reduced by substituting fossil-based materials and fuels with bio-based alternatives, while the vitality of rural areas is increased, and biodiversity loss combatted. Europe’s farmers, forest owners and actors in the blue bioeconomy have invested significantly into bioeconomy solutions and are committed to scale them up in the future. Europe’s innovators have developed technologies and products that are independent from fossil resources, save biomass, energy or water, thereby helping to clean the environment and protect ecosystems. These bioeconomy innovations will transform the way Europe uses and values biological resources, and promote a more sustainable, resilient and competitive economy.

Leveraging Europe’s biological resources

This overview of projects focuses on results that contribute to Europe’s position as the continent leading on bioeconomy solutions. These include making the most of biological materials, fostering the strategic management of biomass within ecological boundaries while driving the green transition. Bioeconomy solutions are deeply rooted in research and innovation and include biotechnologies that contribute to Europe’s competitiveness while not posing risks to consumers or the environment. This overview highlights the circularity potential of the bioeconomy by demonstrating the efficient use of biomass side streams and waste, bringing innovations out of the laboratory into the marketplace, and promoting the importance of bioeconomy governance and education. The Pack highlights 15 projects funded under the EU’s Horizon 2020 and Horizon Europe research programmes that are making an important contribution to bioeconomy. These initiatives demonstrate how innovations are successfully brought from ‘lab to fab’ and then to market, stressing the importance of bio-based materials, biotech, bioeconomy governance and education in achieving sustainable prosperity.

Download report: https://publications.europa.eu/resource/cellar/cd8fb891-82f2-11f0-9af8-01aa75ed71a1.0001.03/DOC_1