13 June 201911 June 2019 Oceans: they pollute, they pay For bioplastics – plastic products sourced from renewable material – proper collection schemes are still required
EU throws the ball to member states to monitor RED II implementation Critics suggest that there is a hidden link between UCO and palm oil, which is decided to be phased out due to its high-ILUC risk
5 June 20193 June 2019 Council adopts ban on single-use plastics Member states have agreed to achieve a 90% collection target for plastic bottles by 2029
Rat beschließt Verbot von Einwegplastik Als Zielvorgaben für Plastikflaschen haben die Mitgliedstaaten vereinbart, bis 2029, eine Sammelquote von 90 % zu erreichen
31 May 201928 May 2019 How companies across Europe are creating sustainable products using no fossil fuels European Union is planning to invest another 10 billion euros in Bioeconomy research by 2027
7 May 20192 May 2019 Keynote speech by Commissioner Phil Hogan at ‘Our Forests, Our Future’ conference, Brussels Forests are multifunctional and hold enormous importance from an environmental, cultural, social and economic point of view
University of Plymouth study misleads on value of biodegradable and compostable plastics ISO 14855 test standard describes merely a test method, but without clear pass and fail criteria that could serve as basis for proper biodegradability claims and labelling
30 April 201925 April 2019 Bioeconomy in CAP – the economy of tomorrow? To reach a functioning economy in the future, the driving force should consist of a sustainable bioeconomic strategy
Bioökonomie in der GAP: Die Wirtschaft von morgen? Um in Zukunft eine voll funktionsfähige Wirtschaft zu erreichen, sollte eine nachhaltige Bioökonomie-Strategie die treibende Kraft sein
17 April 201912 April 2019 How to convert wheat straw waste into green chemicals An EU initiative has produced renewable bio-isobutene for use in various applications ranging from cosmetics to fuels
10 April 201910 April 2019 DanuBioValNet – TOP bio-based products in the Danube Region First of its kind catalogue showcasing innovative solutions applying biological renewable resources in three project-focused value chains
8 April 20193 April 2019 The Top 9 Sustainable Packaging Trends in 2019 Some personal views on current trends to draw attention to the potential shortcomings of each and suggestions for tackling them
2 April 201928 March 2019 EU budget for 2021-2027: Commission welcomes provisional agreement on Horizon Europe, the future EU research and innovation programme The EU institutions have reached a partial political agreement, subject to formal approval by the European Parliament and Council, on Horizon Europe
EU-Haushaltsplanung für 2021-2027: Kommission begrüßt vorläufige Einigung über Horizont Europa, das künftige EU-Programm für Forschung und Innovation Die EU-Institutionen haben eine politische Teileinigung über Horizont Europa erzielt, der das Europäische Parlament und der Rat noch formell zustimmen müssen
25 March 201920 March 2019 New study assesses the environmental impact of innovative bio-based products Seven cradle-to-grave Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) case studies were carried out covering three major commercialised bio-based polymers
21 March 201918 March 2019 EU publications: Bio-based products From idea to market “15 EU success stories” - Study
19 March 201918 March 2019 Call for EU to stop subsidies for fossil fuels to help bio-based materials sector and the circular economy “Please stop all subsidies to fossil fuels. In 2016, €56 billion went from EU member states to fossil fuels.”
8 March 20195 March 2019 From research to consumers: unlocking new value chains for sustainable bio-based products To exploit the bioeconomic growth potential, new bio-based products need to be market-oriented, as availability of suitable infrastructures is also essential
5 March 201928 February 2019 Smart biobased packaging to become tool in the fight against food waste BIOSMART project is investigating approaches for integrating into fully bio-based flexible and rigid plastic packaging novel types of materials, surface treatments and more
27 February 20199 September 2021 Technologies for removing CO2 from the atmosphere will need to be integrated into climate policy in 2019, say national science academies across the EU As global emissions continue to rise, hopes of containing the planet’s warming “well below 2°C” – the headline target of the Paris Agreement – are fading by the day
26 February 201921 February 2019 From waste to construction Researchers have examined which agroforestry residues are available for the development of bio-based materials
21 February 201918 February 2019 How a unique set of building blocks have created a vibrant and growing bio-economy in Canada Country has competitive bio-products industry clusters and is the first one in the G20 to offer a tariff-free zone for industrial manufacturers
The future of bio-based chemicals in the EU Bioeconomy New JRC study details the potential of bio-based chemicals in EU markets, and estimates their annual growth rate
11 February 20196 February 2019 Paper, the forgotten forest destroyer 55% of global paper consumption is made of wrapping and packaging, on the rise from 392 million tonnes in 2010 to 410 million tonnes in 2017
8 February 20195 February 2019 Sustainability: Commission presents a reflection paper on a more sustainable Europe by 2030 Further action needed to secure a sustainable future in the interest of citizens' well-being
Nachhaltigkeit: Kommission legt Reflexionspapier über ein nachhaltigeres Europa bis 2030 vor Weitere Maßnahmen erforderlich für eine nachhaltige Zukunft im Interesse des Wohlergehens der Bürgerinnen und Bürger
5 February 20195 February 2019 EIP-Agri Operational Group to coordinate Ireland’s first small-scale biorefinery demonstration project The Biorefinery Glas project aims to address key challenges in Irish agriculture while promoting farmer diversification into Ireland’s growing bioeconomy
31 January 2019 Developing standards for bio-based industries What are the current EU standards or other related issues that hamper the growth of bio-based products?
30 January 201925 January 2019 Why 2019 may be a promising year for PHA A lot of Manufacturers and suppliers have already invested considerable resources in developing eco-friendly alternatives to petrochemical plastics
21 January 201916 January 2019 Bioplastics: the solution to India’s plastic pollution woes? For ensuring greater adoption of the biodegradable variant, manufacturers say a major policy push is needed from government to help make it more affordable
14 January 20194 January 2019 40% of EU budget should be dedicated to greening the economy, EESC says Its proposed 40% earmarking for climate action is almost twice bigger than the European Commission’s own proposal
10 January 20199 January 2019 Tetra Pak and Veolia partner to get all beverage carton components recycled The average beverage carton comprises around 75% paperboard, 20% plastic and 5% aluminium foil
9 January 20197 January 2019 Single-use plastics directive fails to acknowledge potential of biodegradable plastics Member States should envisage the possibility to create limited, efficient exemptions for innovative compostable plastic products that facilitate organic recycling
8 January 20197 January 2019 Single-use plastics: Commission welcomes ambitious agreement on new rules to reduce marine litter Europe's businesses and consumers to be ahead as a world leader in producing and using sustainable alternatives
Einwegkunststoffprodukte: Kommission begrüßt ehrgeizige Einigung über neue Vorschriften zur Reduzierung von Abfällen im Meer Verbraucherinnen und Verbraucher in Europa sollen zu weltweiten Spitzenreitern bei der Herstellung und Nutzung nachhaltiger Alternativen werden
7 January 201919 December 2018 Wie die europäische Bioökonomie durch „Big Data“-Technologien unterstützt werden kann Eine Pilotinitiative ebnete den Weg für eine neue Lösung für eine nachhaltige Forstwirtschaft. Diese ist Teil einer Reihe von Aktivitäten, bei denen massive Datenströme über Sensoren sowie luft- und satellitengestützte Bilder gehandhabt werden
How to support the European bioeconomy with Big Data technologies A pilot initiative has offered a new solution for sustainable forestry. It’s part of a series of activities that handle massive data flows collected through sensors and aerial and satellite imagery
12 December 201813 December 2018 European Bioeconomy Strategy Update: A Necessary Re-focus Bioeconomy Strategy aims to make UK world-leader by 2030
27 November 201822 November 2018 “European Bioeconomy University”: Six Universities Form International Alliance with Focus on Bioeconomy Europe’s leading universities in the field of the bioeconomy are looking to further intensify their existing cooperation to develop common problem-solving approaches for society’s most urgent challenges
19 November 201814 November 2018 Seaweed coffee cups could help ditch single-use plastics Skipping Rocks Lab aims to use natural materials extracted from plants and seaweed to produce sustainable takeaway cups
14 November 20189 November 2018 Science in the future of agriculture: Can innovation double food production – and improve sustainability? Boosting knowledge and innovation in agriculture, forestry and rural areas is part of the EU’s priorities enshrined in its rural development programmes
13 November 20188 November 2018 Bioeconomies aim to become a beating heart of local communities, both rural and urban Biobased industries, which currently account for 8% of the EU’s workforce, could create one million new green jobs by 2030
7 November 201820 January 2019 Welcome to the eleventh RoadToBio newsletter We are contacting our stakeholders once more to get their views on our findings
31 October 201828 October 2018 EU palm oil strategy risks investment in Africa The EU’s actions on palm oil risk trade and investment in Africa, writes Thompson Ayodele
26 October 201824 October 2018 EU emphasises ‘ecological limitations’ of new bioeconomy plan The EU’s new bioeconomy strategy will contribute to addressing global challenges such as rising population and climate change
25 October 201824 October 2018 Fat profits: Asian traders cash in as Europe thirsts for waste oils Once surreptitiously dumped down drains in the dead of night, Asia’s used cooking oil is fast becoming one of the most sought-after commodities in Europe - as a feedstock for biodiesel
12 October 201811 October 2018 EU starch industry looks to protein & plastic potential following isoglucose ‘disappointment’ Global sugar prices have weighed heavily on European prices which are below the cheapest starches
26 September 201824 September 2018 Enerkem commits to taking action on ocean plastics waste Company pledges to help advance climate action, and endorses the Ocean Plastics Charter, during the G7 Environment, Energy and Oceans Ministerial Meeting
4 September 201830 August 2018 Integrating circular economy and bioeconomy would improve sustainability in Europe New EEA report shows that the policy agendas would benefit from stronger links in product and infrastructure design and collaboration throughout the value chain
2 August 201831 July 2018 Ruling on gene editing crops a threat to innovation and future food security, scientists say Plants traits introduced by Crispr gene editing will be subject to the same regulatory process as 1980s-style gmos containing genes from other species, Europe’s highest court rules