Critical Approaches to Bioeconomy Politics and Policy

Abstract

The bioeconomy represents an emerging political project loaded with the transformative ambition to substitute fossil- with renewable and bio-based resources. Relatedly, bioeconomy transformations are expected to contribute to solving systemic climate, biodiversity, economic, and health crises and have been identified and proposed as potential pathways to achieve sustainability and resilience. While the bioeconomy project is anticipated to deal with current crises, bioeconomy transformations have also been branded as contested and crisis-inducing developmental pathways. Against this background, this panel explores and discusses critical approaches to bioeconomy politics and policy from a theoretical and empirical perspective. The panel places special emphasis on trade-offs, risks, and resilience in the transition towards the bioeconomy, adopting a comparative perspective on bioeconomy development both in developing and developed countries. It provides an in-depth analysis of emerging bioeconomies in South America (Argentina, Brazil and Uruguay) and a comparative perspective on bioeconomy development in Germany, Ireland, Italy, Malaysia, South Africa, and the United Kingdom. Moreover, in-depth case studies about Germany critically discuss the creation of political consent for the bioeconomy project despite conflicts around biomass use and propose policy recommendations. The panel provides an interactive space for researchers to discuss findings, ideas, and experiences on the challenges, conflicts, inequalities, risks, opportunities, and achievements in the context of bioeconomy transformations. It enables panelists to participate in in-depth discussions on the realization and cogency of the bioeconomy project towards sustainable and resilient social-ecological systems.

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