XII Международная студенческая научная конференция Студенческий научный форум - 2020

The 21st century is characterised by major challenges. A growing global population needs to be fed sufficiently and healthily, with usable agricultural areas limited. Climate change makes it necessary to limit emissions of greenhouse gases, and the globally continuing loss of soil fertility and biodiversity demands measures to counteract these developments. The finite nature of raw materials of fossil origin, an increasing demand for raw materials, and political uncertainties: these factors will all be reflected in the market, making it essential to tap new sources of raw materials and to make use of alternatives. Thus new concepts for an enduring and safe supply of energy and raw materials, including the use of sustainably produced biomass, take on growing significance. The knowledge-based bio-economy offers the opportunity to make an important contribution to mastering these challenges and simultaneously to strengthen Germany‘s international economic competitiveness.

The “knowledge-based bioeconomy” – also termed the “biobased economy” takes natural materials cycles as its point of orientation; it bases itself upon a structural transition from an economy based on finite resources of fossil origin – mainly petroleum – to an economy more strongly based on renewable resources. New knowledge gained in the life sciences

and technical sciences is bringing about a deeper understanding of the global biological systems: this can lead to the sustainable use of renewable resources for the benefit of humankind and the environment. The bioeconomy spans a bridge linking technology, the economy and ecological issues, by applying biological processes and resources, further developing them and thus enhancing their performance capability, as well as making their use more efficient and sustainable. The bioeconomy not only replaces raw materials sourced from fossils; it also develops wholly new products and processes.

Bioeconomy is the knowledge-based production and use of renewable resources, in order to provide products, processes and services in all areas of the economy, within the framework of an economic system that is viable for the future. [1] The concept of the bioeconomy encompasses all economic sectors and their associated commercial services, involved in producing, working or processing, using or trading with renewable resources – such as plants, animals and micro-organisms and products made from them. This is done with the aim of making it possible to effect a transition to running the economy in a way that is increasingly independent of petroleum. Thus the knowledge-based bioeconomy can be an essential part of a viable and sustainable economic system.

Agriculture, forestry, fisheries, and aquaculture, but also the biotechnological use and conversion of biomass, in addition to biogenic waste materials and residual materials: these are the central starting points for the bioeconomy‘s value chains and value-adding networks, which are interlinked in a multitude of ways. Downstream sectors work and process renewable resources to form a variety of products, partly also through industrial application of biotechnological and microbiological processes, particularly in the chemical industry. This also includes food producers, and the wood, paper, construction, leather, and textile industries, as well as parts of the pharmaceutical industry and the energy sector. To that extent they are as involved in the build-up of a bioeconomy as are the associated areas of retail, distribution and commercial service sectors. It is characteristic of the bioeconomy, firstly, that the value chains of its products in the various business sectors are increasingly networked, or respectively are able to be networked, and secondly that by-products and residual materials are used in a way that yields the highest possible value. Accordingly, the bioeconomy system also attaches particular significance to recycling and waste-management processes that can avoid residual materials and waste materials, or respectively direct them to a use that derives the highest possible value from them.

Viewed as a whole, the bioeconomy is now already a significant pillar underpinning the German national economy: In 2007, across all business sectors, approximately 5 m. employees, i.e. 12.5 % of all those in employment, generated 8 % of the gross value added in Germany, corresponding to approx. € 165 bn. per year. [2] Within this, up to now the classic production systems of the food and feed sectors dominate, alongside the wood industry (including distribution and services): their share of the bioeconomy corresponded to 97 % of the employed (4.8 m. people) and 96 % (€ 159 bn.) of the gross value added in 2007. The bioeconomy has the potential to further expand this economic output, through the development and further processing of the various biomass-based raw materials – in some instances new ones – to form high-value, innovative materials and products, through increasing numbers of coupled uses and cascading uses, as well as through the optimisation and intelligent linking up of various value-adding networks.

The Coalition Treaty for the 17th legislative period states the tasks of the Federal Government with regard to the development of a bioeconomy strategy [3]: “We see research, development and application of biotechnology as a great opportunity for Germany as a business and science location and for its international competitiveness.(...) With the support of the Bioeconomy Council, we will draw up and implement an internationally competitive strategy for advancing towards a knowledge-based bioeconomy.”The Federal Government defined the need for action to be derived from this in 2010, taking into account the recommendations of the Bioeconomy Council[4], in the “National Research Strategy 2030 – our route towards a biobased economy”, underpinning this with a support budget totalling € 2.4 bn. for the period 2011-2016. A decisive factor in the ongoing development of the bioeconomy is the cooperation between business and science, and between partners from different countries, as well as between disciplines and institutions respectively.

The focus of the “Policy Strategy – Bioeconomy” is on the political options for action and strategic approaches, thus going beyond the focus of the “National Research Strategy BioEconomy 2030”. In particular, this includes industry policy and energy policy; agricultural, forestry and fisheries policy; and also climate and environmental policy.

A central issue is that of how to satisfy the globally-rising demand directed at using biomass for food, for industry and also for energy, with the associated intensifying competition for land areas to use for agriculture and forestry, while safeguarding the principle of sustainability. There are competing claims on the use of land areas for producing food and feed, for producing renewable raw materials intended for material use and for use as an energy source, and also for infrastructure and construction developments. Moreover, the requirements of environmental and nature protection can impose limitations on agriculture and forestry production. The task facing policymakers is to create suitable framework conditions for running the economy in a sustainable, resource-efficient way that keeps sight of all these competing uses. As part of this, it is essential to take into account the concerns of protecting nature and the environment, and also the opportunities that the bioeconomy offers for protecting the climate and resources, and also for strengthening Germany as a business and science location and its competitiveness.

Possible restrictions imposed on food security and the environment by the production of renewable raw materials need to be avoided. Therefore it must be ensured that the steeply-increasing demand for such resources – and the associated demand for scarce water and land – supports the development-policy goals in the emerging economies and developing countries or respectively does not influence them negatively.

This current strategy should be viewed in the context of national concepts and strategies formulated by the Federal Government. The “National Sustainability Strategy”, adopted in 2002 and updated on an ongoing basis, determines the course set for Germany‘s sustainable development, setting goals for this in all the Federal Government‘s political areas of action. Its success is assessed in regular Progress Reports. The “National Research Strategy –Bioeconomy 2030” lays the research-policy foundation for the decision to pursue a knowledge-based and internationally competitive bioeconomy. As an element of the “High-Tech Strategy 2020 for Germany. Ideas. Innovation. Growth” and of the project for the future [5] “Renewable raw materials as an alternative to oil”, it provides important impetus in the energy and climate areas of action, as well as in the areas of health and nutrition (among others). The Federal Government, in its “Energy Concept for an Environmentally Sound, Reliable and Affordable Energy Supply” (2010), in the “Raw Materials Strategy” (2010), in the “German Resource Efficiency Programme” (2012), and also in the “Biorefineries Roadmap” (2012), described points of policy orientation and conclusions with a direct effect on the bioeconomy.

Further strategies and action plans contain interfaces with the bioeconomy. In particular, these include:

the “National Strategy on Biological Diversity” (2007) and, supplementary to this, the “Agrobiodiversity Sector Strategy”,

the “Action Plans for the use of renewable raw materials as materials and as energy sources” (2009/2010),

the “National Action Plan for Renewable Energies” (2010),

the strategy paper “Biofuels. Opportunities and Risks for Developing Countries” (2011),

the “Forest Strategy 2020” (2011) and

the “Federal Government‘s Mobility and Fuel Strategy” (2013)

With a view to ensuring coherence in the structuring of policy, the Policy Strategy – Bio-Economybuilds on these concepts and strategies. It sets priorities for advancing towards a knowledge-based bio-economy and highlights areas that require action.

At European level, the European Commission has addressed the bioeconomy as a research area in “Horizon 2020”, the new framework programme for research and innovation, and produced a bioeconomy strategy in February 2012. [6] The aim is for this to contribute to implementing the goals of the “Europe 2020” strategy and give support to the development of an innovative, low-carbon and more resource-efficient economy which is internationally competitive. It emphasises research and innovation, but also includes measures directed at stronger networking of policies and stakeholders involved, and also at strengthening markets and competitiveness with regard to innovative products. Within the framework of an Action Plan, the Member States are called upon (among other things) to formulate national bioeconomy strategies and to establish a Bioeconomy Council. At research-policy level, the Federal Government already presented the above-mentioned “National Research Strategy – Bioeconomy 2030” back in 2010; it also convened a national Bioeconomy Council in 2009. Other European countries, such as the Netherlands, Denmark, Sweden and Finland, have also presented bioeconomy strategies.

Internationally, the community of states undertook an obligation at the UN sustainable-development conference, in Rio de Janeiro in June 2012, to implement the “Green Economy” as an important instrument in sustainable development.[7] The bioeconomy can take on a significant role in this, to the extent that it contributes to climate protection, resource efficiency, the completion of materials cycles, the conservation of biodiversity, and social inclusion. Bioeconomy strategies have been adopted in the USA and Canada; strategies of this kind are being prepared in China, South Africa, Russia, and Brazil. In 2009 the OECD reviewed the development opportunities presented by the bioeconomy and highlighted their significance for the economy and for ecology.[8]

The bioeconomy can open up major areas of value-adding potential and employment potential for Germany, particularly due to the strong performance capability of the sectors of business involved, the scientific and technological lead that the country has in important areas, in addition to the climatic starting conditions and the characteristics of the soil. Integrated into its international context, the Federal Government’s Policy Strategy – Bioeconomy describes strategic approaches and measures aimed at using the potential within the context of running the economy sustainably. The strategic approaches need to be further developed to suit the long-term goals and adapted to new challenges.

References

Bioeconomic Council 2013: http://www.biooekonomierat.de/biooekonomie.html

Johann Heinrich von Thünen Institute 2012: Significance of biobased business to the overall national economy in Germany. Working reports from TI economics of agriculture, 08/2012.

Coalition Treaty between CDU, CSU and SDP, 17th legislative period.

Bioeconomy Council 2010: Report – “Innovation bioeconomy. Research and technology development for food security, sustainable use of resources and competitiveness”

http://www.bmbf.de/de/19943.php

European Commission 2012: Innovating for Sustainable Growth: A Bioeconomy for Europe

United Nations 2012: Report of the United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development

OECD 2009: The Bioeconomy to 2030. Designing a Policy Agenda