Consensus, caveats and conditions: International learnings for bioeconomy development

Diverse national resource bases, infrastructure, regulatory environments and markets call for the development of diverse national bioeconomies in the quest towards cleaner production and a more sustainable future. The bioeconomy promises both economic growth and environmental gain through the conversion of renewable biological resources into the food, feed, fuel, chemicals and fibre of the future. It has been the topic of intense political discussion internationally of late, including in Ireland. Radical innovation is required to achieve these aims, not just in technological terms, but in the policies, practices, collaborations and behaviours guiding this transition. Effective, objective and impartial governance of the bioeconomy is required; a process that must engage multiple stakeholder groups in deciphering the most appropriate development pathways with the aim of creating evidence-based and diverse national bioeconomy strategies. Showcasing a potential fora to achieve such stakeholder inclusion and interaction, this paper presents the results of an online Delphi study conducted with 75 bioeconomy experts in Ireland to assesses and prioritise value chain opportunities for the Irish bioeconomy. Results nevertheless hold relevance for the development and governance of bioeconomies worldwide, highlighting a number of areas of consensus, caveats and conditions for bioeconomy, and associated strategy, development. This includes consideration of factors from supply to demand, including the scale and fragmentation of feedstock, the capital investment required at the transformation technology stage and consumer acceptance of the biobased output. The need for robust environmental sustainability assessments, clear support frameworks, adherence to cascading and circular principles and integrated value web approaches are also highlighted through this analysis. The bioeconomy can be successful economically, environmentally and socially if developed under certain conditions, and there is potential for nations to learn from one another as to what these conditions might encompass.