Bio-based industry as a boost for sustainable primary production in rural regions:
a journey across the Mediterranean basin

Scientific research and breakthrough biotechnological innovations offer solutions that create new synergies between the bio-based industry and the agri-food sector. These alliances go beyond the consolidated paradigm of expanding the use of agricultural, forest and marine biomass, which often raises concerns about possible competition between food security and industrial productivity. Rather, the bio-based industry can provide solutions to reduce the environmental impact of outdated and polluting agricultural practices, improve the safety of work activities, enable the production of healthier food, and promote the regeneration of degraded soils. At the same time, the biodiversity of land and sea can be preserved. The wider area encompassing southern Europe and the Mediterranean basin can greatly benefit from the innovations of the bio-based industry, which can mitigate the obvious consequences of overpopulation and climate change. Moreover, the experience gained in the implementation of the bioeconomy and the bio-based industry in the Mediterranean basin can be a model for solving similar urgencies in other geographical areas of the world.

Programme

14.00-15.45 Session 1
Bioeconomy in the global scenario: the opportunities offered by sustainable bio-based economy transition

Chair: 
Lucia Gardossi, University of Trieste, board SPRING

Sustainable and circular bioeconomy for food systems transformation 
Marta Gomez San Juan, Office of Climate Change, Biodiversity and Environment. Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, Rome

Safe, circular, bio based and sustainable by design chemicals and materials
Serenella Sala, Head of the Land Resources and Supply Chain Assessments Unit, European Commission, Joint Research Centre 

Bio-based industries: a key enabler for a sustainable and competitive Europe
Samuele Ambrosetti, Innovation and Programming manager, Bio-based Industries Consortium (BIC), Brussels

Contribution of the Canadian forestry system and industry to the growth of the bioeconomy and to the future of Canadian rural communities
Derek Nighbor, President and Chief Executive Officer at Forest Products Association of Canada 

Enabling the Circular Bioeconomy through the implementation of the European Green Deal 
Tomasz Calikowski, Directorate-General for Research and Innovation, European Commission. 

Sustainable bioeconomy implementation: the global landscape 
Jim Philp, Member of ECOMONDO International Advisory board (TBC)

Discussion

15.45-17.45 Session 2
Multi-actor implementation of Bioeconomy in the Mediterranean basin and beyond

Chair:
Mario Bonaccorso, Director Cluster SPRING

The Bioeconomy initiative in the Brazilian G20 presidency
Fabio Fava, Alma Mater Studiorum-Università di Bologna, Focal point of the Italian Presidency of Council of Ministers in the frame of the 2024 G20 Bioeconomy initiative  

The contribution of CBE JU
Virginia Puzzolo, CBE Joint Undertaking 

The Biomodel4Regions – Innovative governance model for regional bioeconomy
Patrizia Circelli, Senior Innovation Management Consultant & PNO cross board sector team leader bioeconomy and agri-food, CIAOTECH, Italy

The BioInSouth EU project
Pierluigi Argoneto (TBC)

Biobased innovation for sustainable agriculture and soil regeneration
Sara Guerrini, Novamont & Re Soil Foundation 

The Horizon Europe Forest4EU project within the Network of European Regions for Innovation in Agriculture, Food and Forestry (ERIAFF) - Experiences on forestry management.
Samuele Pii, Tuscany Region 

17.45 Closure by the Chairs