Bioeconomy-Strategy en Accesdible N

National Bioeconomy Strategy
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11055 Berlin, Germany
Bundesministerium für Ernährung und Landwirtschaft/

Federal Ministry of Food and Agriculture (BMEL)
Division “Bioeconomy, Material Biomass Use”
10117 Berlin
Germany
July 2020
Edited by
BMBF and BMEL
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Project Management Jülich, Forschungszentrum Jülich GmbH
Design
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Photo credits
Cover picture and all illustrations: BMBF/Florian Sänger; p. 2:
BMBF/Laurence Chaperon (Anja Karliczek), BPA_Steffen Kugler
(Julia Klöckner); p. 7: Science RF/stock.adobe.com; p. 15: FZ Jülich;
p. 24: Budimir Jevtic/stock.adobe.com; p. 28: Fraunhofer Gesell-
schaft; p. 31: Nestor/stock.adobe.com; p. 35: Cavan Images/stock.
adobe.com; p. 43: Enrique del Barrio/stock.adobe.com; p. 44: Ung-
var/Freepik.com; p. 46: Budimir Jevtic/stock.adobe.com; p. 50/51:
pop_jop/istockphoto.com (Karte); p. 52: BMBF/Wissenschaftsjahr
2020/21; S. 57: sushytska/stock.adobe.com
1
Table of contents
Foreword . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
Summary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
Preface . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
1 Bioeconomy for a sustainable future . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
2 The Bioeconomy Strategy of the German Federal Government . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12

2.1 Guidelines of the Bioeconomy Strategy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
2.2 Goals and implementation of the Bioeconomy Strategy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17
2.3 Bioeconomy as a contribution to sustainability . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17
2.4 Global challenges, holistic solutions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18
2.5 Bioeconomy as a development strategy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19
3 Research funding for a sustainable bioeconomy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20

3.1 Focus of the research funding . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24
3.2 Building blocks for the implementation of research funding . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26
3.2.1 Biological knowledge as the key to the bioeconomy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26
3.2.2 Converging technologies and cross-disciplinary collaboration . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30
3.2.3 Limits and potential . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30
3.2.4 Transfer from idea to application . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31
3.2.5 Bioeconomy and society . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32
3.2.6 Global research collaboration . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33
4 Areas of action to improve the framework for a sustainable bioeconomy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36

4.1 Reducing the pressure on land . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39
4.2 Sustainable production and supply of biogenic raw materials . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41
4.3 Establishing and developing bioeconomy supply chains and networks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42
4.4 Market introduction and establishment of bio-based products, processes and services . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42
4.5 Using the potential inherent in the bioeconomy for the development of rural areas . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44
4.6 Exploiting digitisation for the bioeconomy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45
4.7 Policy coherence . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47
5 Overarching instruments . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48
5.1. Establishment of an advisory body with broad participation of society . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50
5.2 Cooperation between the Federal Government and the federal states . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51
5.3 European and international cooperation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 52
5.4 Communication und dialogue . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 53
5.5 Qualifications and skilled personnel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 54
5.6 Bioeconomy monitoring . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 54
Conclusion and outlook . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 56
Glossary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 58
Endnotes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 62
2 NATIONAL BIOECONOMY STRATEGY
FOREWORD 3
Dear readers,
the need to live sustainably and preside over sustainable was laid with the publication of the National Research
economies has become an important driving force for so- Strategy ‘BioEconomy 2030’ (Nationale Forschungsstrate-
cial, economic and political change. We are all aware that gie BioÖkonomie 2030) and the National Policy Strategy on
the coming years will be decisive in highlighting the way Bioeconomy (Nationale Politikstrategie zur Bioökonomie).
forward for sustainable development and for sustaina- The new National Bioeconomy Strategy builds on the suc-
ble economic growth. To that end, the German Federal cessful work that was initiated under these two strategies.
Government has introduced a wealth of innovative initi-
atives to overcome the challenges we will face in the fu- The bioeconomy encompasses all sectors of the economy. It
ture. These many and varied activities dovetail in the new is central to global food security and supplies the renewa-
National Bioeconomy Strategy. The achievement of a bio- ble resources necessary for a wide range of applications. Its
based economy will represent a significant contribution to interdisciplinary toolbox consists not only of biotechno-
the attainment of the Sustainable Development Goals set logical processes, but also of concepts borrowed from en-
out in the UN’s 2030 Agenda. gineering and data science. Bio-based products manufac-
tured for industry and end consumers are set to prevail on
The transition to a bioeconomy will generate a vast ar- the market. Thanks to their natural properties, such prod-
ray of opportunities. Over the next few decades, the way in ucts are also ideal for integration into material cycles. The
which we do business will change all around the world and growth of the bioeconomy is, therefore, a decisive factor
serve to put our economies on a more sustainable footing. in the achievement of a sustainable circular economy. It is
The individuals and companies who deliver concepts, tech- crucial for the attainment of more efficient future business
nologies and processes that contribute to the bioeconomy practices and for the reduction of our consumption of re-
will be successful in the markets of tomorrow. The devel- sources.
opment of the bioeconomy can be harnessed to strengthen
rural areas, the setting in which a great deal of the added The purpose of the National Bioeconomy Strategy is to
value is generated. We seek to strengthen Germany’s po- contribute to the achievement of sustainable development
sition as an innovative country through the new National as laid down in the 2030 Agenda. Around a dozen of the
Bioeconomy Strategy and to make the country a leader in Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) agreed by the inter-
the development of pioneering approaches. national community in New York in 2015 directly address
the bioeconomy. These SDGs form the main frame of refer-
The bioeconomy harbours vast potential. It produces, har- ence for Germany’s Bioeconomy Strategy.
vests and uses biological resources, and avails of process-
es and systems that considerably reduce our dependency Policy can set the agenda and pave the way, but the trans-
on fossil resources such as coal, oil and natural gas. At the formation to sustainable business will only be possible
same time, scientific and technological advances offer up with extensive support from society at large. With that in
new bioeconomy applications that extend far beyond sim- mind, we will involve society early on in the implemen-
ply replacing fossil resources with the negative implica- tation of the new strategy and foster dialogue amongst
tions for the environment that are inherent in their con- everyone who wishes to help shape our future bioeconomy.
tinued use. Significant groundwork for these developments
Your Federal Ministry of Education and Research Your Federal Ministry of Food and Agriculture
Summary
Sustainability and climate action are the key issues of the ferent levels of society across all economic sectors. It can be
21st century. Humankind has reached a point where the con- summarised in six common strategic goals:
tinued over-exploitation of our resources threatens to cause
considerable damage to the biosphere. To preserve the con- 1) Develop bioeconomy solutions for the 2030 Agenda for
ditions necessary for the survival of humans, animals and Sustainable Development
plant life, the consumption of natural resources must be re- 2) Recognise and harness the potential of the bioeconomy
duced to a level that is ecologically sustainable. At the same within ecological boundaries
time, it remains vitally important that we ensure economic 3) Enhance and apply biological knowledge
prosperity and safeguard the right to future development of 4) Establish a sustainable raw material base for industry
a growing global population. 5) Promote Germany as the leading location for innova-
tion in the bioeconomy
6) Involve society and strengthen national and interna-
The objective of the bioeconomy is to combine economy and tional collaboration
ecology to ensure a more sustainable use of resources. The
German Federal Government defines the bioeconomy as For each of these strategic goals, specific implementation
the production, exploitation and use of biological resourc- objectives have been formulated in the context of research
es, processes and systems to provide products, processes and funding, the pertinent framework conditions and cross-cut-
services across all economic sectors within the framework ting instruments.
of a future-oriented economy. Innovations in the bioecono-
my unite biological knowledge with technological solutions Research is the key to recognising and harnessing the op-
and utilise the inherent properties of biogenic raw mate- portunities offered by the bioeconomy. Future research
rials such as their natural cycles, renewability and adapt- funding will focus on the following building blocks: biolog-
ability. The bioeconomy harbours the potential to provide ical knowledge as the key to the bioeconomy; converging
new kinds of products and processes that protect natural re- technologies and transdisciplinary cooperation; boundaries
sources and ensure our future prosperity. and potentials; translation to real-life application; bioecono-
my and society; and international research collaboration.
In its National Bioeconomy Strategy, the Federal Govern-
ment lays down the guidelines and objectives for its policy The strategy describes policy areas, in which the Federal
on the bioeconomy and lists measures for their implemen- Government will implement specific actions over the com-
tation. The strategy builds on the National Research Strat- ing years, in order to improve the framework conditions
egy ‘BioEconomy 2030’ and the National Policy Strategy on for the bioeconomy. These are as follows: reducing pressure
Bioeconomy to weave the various political strands together on land use; ensuring the sustainable production and sup-
in a coherent framework. The National Bioeconomy Strat- ply of biogenic raw materials; expanding and developing
egy lays the foundations for Germany to strengthen its role the supply chains and networks of the bioeconomy; design-
as a bioeconomy leader and to create the technology and ing instruments to establish and bring bio-based products,
jobs of tomorrow. With the strategy, the German Feder- processes and services to the market; ensuring policy coher-
al Government also assumes its global responsibility in the ence; making use of the opportunities offered by the bioeco-
interconnected international bioeconomy. nomy for the development of rural areas; and taking advan-
tage of digital technology for the bioeconomy.
Two overarching guidelines support the objectives and ac-
tions set out in the National Bioeconomy Strategy. The first To do justice to the concept of the bioeconomy as an
guideline highlights how biological knowledge and ad- all-embracing approach, the Federal Government ap-
vanced technology are the pillars of a future-oriented, sus- plies cross-cutting instruments to implement its strate-
tainable and climate-neutral economy. The second guide- gy. This involves the establishment of an advisory commit-
line relates to the raw materials used by industry and the tee, co-operation between the Federal and Länder levels of
need for a sustainable and circular economy based on the government and at European and international level, mea-
use of biogenic resources. sures to foster communication and open dialogue with vari-
ous groups in society, initiatives to promote training and de-
The Federal Government’s National Bioeconomy Strate- velopment of skills, and the establishment of a bioeconomy
gy addresses a broad spectrum of objectives targeting dif- monitoring system.
SUMMARY 5
The German National Bioeconomy Strategy

Policy guidelines and goals
Guideline 1 Guideline 2
Harnessing biological knowledge and Using biogenic raw materials for a
responsible innovation for sustainable, sustainable, circular economy
climate-neutral development
Common strategic goals for research funding

and a policy framework
1 2 3 4 5 6
Develop bioecon- Recognise and har- Enhance and Establish a Promote Germany Involve society in
omy solutions for ness the potential apply biological sustainable raw as the leading the bioeconomy
the 2030 Agenda of the bioeconomy knowledge material base for location for and strengthen
for Sustainable within ecological industry innovation in the national and
Development boundaries bioeconomy international
collaboration
Implementation
Research funding Framework conditions
Cross-cutting instruments
Preface
The German Federal Government supports the transition knowledge and current developments, the German Feder-
from an economy largely based on fossil raw materials to al Government is committed to expanding the bio-based
a more resource-efficient and circular economy based on economy and is establishing new priorities in order to tap
renewable resources. As early as 2010, Germany commit- the rich potential of the bioeconomy for sustainable devel-
ted itself in its the National Research Strategy ‘Bioecono- opment, while avoiding undesirable developments.
my 2030’1 to the vision of creating a sustainable, bio-based
economy founded on natural material cycles. The concom- The new Bioeconomy Strategy is the result of a compre-
itant National Policy Strategy on the Bioeconomy2 , intro- hensive agenda process that incorporated numerous in-
duced in 2013, defined goals and measures intended to sup- puts. These included the progress report on the Nation-
port this structural transition, including actions seeking to al Policy Strategy on the Bioeconomy3, the evaluation of
adapt the prevailing framework conditions. the previous national research strategy4, recommenda-
tions from the Bioeconomy Council of the Federal Govern-
The German Federal Government remains committed to ment of Germany5 , which sat until 2019, and experienc-
this vision. It is intensifying its efforts to implement a sus- es gleaned from the implementation of other bioeconomy
tainable bioeconomy by pooling the measures taken so strategies at the European and international level. The pro-
far and by taking into consideration other relevant poli- cess included conferences, workshops and consultations
cy strategies and merging them into the new National Bio- with representatives from business, research, politics and
economy Strategy. This involves harmonising the various civil society. This participatory approach is to be main-
sub-goals and linking the corresponding measures more tained in order to promote a varied and broad range of
closely with one another. With its new National Bioecon- opinions and perspectives when implementing the strate-
omy Strategy, the Federal Government aims to formulate gy. For this purpose, the German Federal Government will
the tasks that policy makers and researchers will need to appoint an independent and thematically diverse advisory
undertake in the coming years, while also identifying the body that, with the involvement of all relevant stakeholder
challenges that businesses and society will face along the groups, will draw up a roadmap of practical implementa-
way towards the achievement of a bioeconomy. Building tion steps. This roadmap will be continuously updated.
on the steps taken since 2010, and taking into account new
BIOECONOMY FOR A SUSTAINABLE FUTURE 7
1
Bioeconomy for a
sustainable future
The bioeconomy aims to help solve

major challenges of the 21st century by
providing new solutions. The definition
and objectives of the bioeconomy are
explained on the following pages.
According to the definition adopted by the German Feder- The benchmark for the benefits and added value associated
al Government, ‘bioeconomy’ refers to the production, ex- with bio-based products and processes is their contribution
ploitation and use of biological resources, processes and to a sustainable and climate-neutral economy. Given the
systems to provide products, processes and services in all fact that we have exceeded planetary boundaries – with
economic sectors within the framework of a sustainable corresponding negative impacts on biodiversity, climate,
economic system. The bioeconomy aims to provide solu- the nitrogen cycle and soil fertility – the advancement of
tions to the great challenges of the 21st century. It addresses the bioeconomy is expected to contribute to a transition
the basic questions that face the world of tomorrow: towards sustainable development.
• How can we ensure the security of food and resourc- The modern debate over the concept of sustainability, on-
es for an increasing global population while at the same going since the 1980s, has shown that the three dimensions
time protecting the climate, the environment and bio- of sustainability – economic, ecological and social – cannot
logical diversity? be set against one another, but rather that they are inter-
dependent. A form of economy that relies on natural ma-
• How can we successfully link ecology and the economy terial cycles and simultaneously uses and protects the ser-
while ensuring an equitable distribution of the associat- vices of ecosystems must at the same time be competitive
ed opportunities and challenges? and provide jobs. The bioeconomy represents one contri-
bution to the ongoing discussion about the specific nature
• How can we transform our current economic system in- and design of sustainable development and encompass-
to a sustainable system that will also safeguard future es the Sustainable Development Goals of the United Na-
prosperity? tions’ ‘Agenda 2030 for Sustainable Development’. This link
is explored in more detail below (section 2.3). The corner-
• What must we do to make sure that the bioeconomy can stone of a sustainable bioeconomy is the responsible pro-
contribute as quickly and as effectively as possible to the duction, harvesting and use of biogenic raw materials and
international climate protection goals outlined in the residues. Securing a global supply of food is and has always
Paris Agreement? been a priority, and ethical principles and socially recog-
nised goals such as environmental protection, landscape
An expansion of the bioeconomy will bring about a sustain- conservation and animal welfare must be accorded simi-
able alignment of the resource base of the economy and a re- larly high valuation.
placement of fossil raw materials. Replacing these limited
raw materials, the very use of which damages our climate, The decision as to whether a product, a process or a ser-
can be a step towards greater sustainability provided the sub- vice is aligned with the bioeconomy depends on the bio-
stitute biomass is used efficiently and produced in accord- logical resources used. The bioeconomy uses raw materials
ance with ecological and ethical criteria. Biological knowl- that are produced in agriculture, forestry and marine set-
edge and advanced technologies make it possible to develop tings, in fisheries and aquaculture, or in microbial produc-
new, resource-saving processes and products, thereby ex- tion. Biogenic residues and waste materials are also build-
panding and linking various supply chains. Bioeconomic in- ing blocks of the bioeconomy. In addition to the materials
novations combine biological knowledge with technological used, the resources of the bioeconomy include knowledge
solutions and harness the natural properties of biogenic raw of biological processes and systems for new applications, as
materials (recyclability, renewability, CO2 balance and adapt- well as the development of raw material sources through
ability) for the benefit of a sustainable economy. biological processes.
Sustainable economy
Climate-neutral and circular
m ipsum
Biological knowledge Biogenic raw

and responsible materials for a
innovation sustainable economy
2
The Bioeconomy Strategy of the

German Federal Government
13
With its new Bioeconomy Strategy, the

German Federal Government is com-
mitted to the sustainable production
and use of biological resources, and to
the promotion of environment- and
nature-friendly production processes in
all economic sectors. This chapter de-
scribes the guidelines, strategic goals and
implementation targets of the strategy.
A sustainable, bio-based economy is an essential founda- rials, the increase in the demand for raw materials and politi-
tion for the future of our society. With its Bioeconomy Strate- cal uncertainties affecting the market.
gy, the German Federal Government is committed to the sus-
tainable production and use of biological resources, and to Although these factors are driving forces towards greater sus-
the promotion of environment- and nature-friendly produc- tainability, the corresponding development of a bioecono-
tion processes in all economic sectors. Sustainable manage- my enjoying widespread public acceptance cannot simply
ment demands the responsible use of our natural resources. be taken for granted. Research, suitable economic and legal
This is the only way to preserve the foundations of life vital framework conditions, dialogue with and the participation
for the wellbeing of future generations. The challenges of the of various social groups, and cooperation with international
21st century are immense. By the end of this century, the lim- partners will all play an important role in making the bioeco-
ited available farmland will be required to produce sufficient nomy a reality.
healthy food to feed a predicted population of around 11 bil-
lion people. The first step towards combating climate change The new Bioeconomy Strategy highlights measures and
is to achieve a rapid and significant reduction in greenhouse means to meet future challenges and identifies the priorities
gas emissions; the second is to achieve greenhouse gas neu- that must be set. Any additional expenditure that may result
trality by 2050. The ongoing loss of natural spaces, forests and from the implementation of the Bioeconomy Strategy is off-
suitable agricultural land, and the global decline in both soil set by a prioritisation of the use of existing funds foreseen in
fertility and biodiversity necessitate countermeasures. These the relevant budgetary sections and which can be implement-
issues are exacerbated by the finite nature of fossil raw mate- ed without any added financial burden.
2.1 Guidelines of the Bioeconomy Strategy

The goal of tapping the potential of the bioeconomy and ology must be linked with research into the social and eco-
using it to achieve sustainability and climate goals is sup- logical systems in which the bioeconomy is embedded.
ported by two overarching guidelines that serve as the Socio-economic processes, such as competition for scarce
foundation for all of the implementation measures con- resources, population growth and changing values, life-
tained within the new Bioeconomy Strategy. styles and consumption patterns, have consequences for
the transition to a bioeconomy. At the same time, the very
transition to a bioeconomy in turn exerts an influence over
Guideline 1: these processes. Such interactions have to be considered
Harnessing biological knowledge and while performing research and in designing the policies
underlying the transformation process. This applies par-
responsible innovation for sustaina- ticularly to questions concerning ethical principles and so-
ble, climate-neutral development cial values; for instance, when it comes to the use of new
technologies, access to resources, a just global distribution
The constant expansion of our knowledge of biology of- and the value of nature. It is, therefore, important to en-
fers up new opportunities for innovation and sustainable courage an open debate with broad social participation, ex-
solutions, and is the driving force behind the transition to- amining and discussing possible development pathways
wards a bio-based economy. The range of new bio-based for the bioeconomy and weighing up opportunities and
technologies and products is constantly increasing, and the challenges when determining the order of priorities.
corresponding demand will continue to rise in the future,
both from industry and from other consumers. Technolog- Bioeconomic innovations can make a significant contribu-
ical advances achieved through, for example, digitisation tion to a sustainable future. However, merely promoting
and new process technologies, make it possible to deepen the development of bio-based products and processes will
our biological knowledge even further and to use it for in- not be enough. It is crucial that the bioeconomy provides
novation. Biology and technology can merge in a new, sus- services that are desired by society. This includes resource-
tainable form of production. and environmentally-friendly solutions stimulating more
sustainable consumption.
To convert these auspicious prospects into tangible com-
ponents of sustainable development, our knowledge of bi-
THE BIOECONOMY STRATEGY OF THE GERMAN FEDERAL GOVERNMENT 15
Guideline 2: The bioeconomy not only replaces fossil raw materials
Using biogenic raw materials for with renewable raw materials, it also facilitates the de-
velopment of new products and processes in very differ-
a sustainable, circular economy ent sectors. Unlocking the full potential of the bioeconomy
means opening and expanding traditional supply chains
Biogenic raw materials possess properties that render them and, where necessary, replacing them. Following the guid-
particularly valuable and convenient. In contrast to fos- ing principles of cascade and cyclical use, supply chains
sil raw materials, they are renewable. However, they also should be linked to create new and efficient value creation
face limitations arising from the limited availability of the networks. The option to undertake initial steps in the pro-
space required for biomass production. Due to their chem- cessing of these materials at the site of production provides
ical-physical nature, biogenic raw materials are particular- a future-oriented development perspective, especially for
ly suitable for use in cascades or cycles. This includes both rural areas.
material use and composting. At the very end of a chain of
applications, biomass can finally also be used to provide For the bioeconomy to achieve these positive effects on the
energy. In principle, when using biogenic raw materials no climate, biodiversity, the environment and welfare, it is es-
more carbon dioxide is released than was removed from sential that the underlying biogenic resources be generat-
the atmosphere during the growth phase, although an ex- ed sustainably. Given the limited space available for culti-
act balance calculation must also take into consideration vation, the scale of production of biomass cannot simply
the energy used in conversion and transportation. Biogen- be expanded at will. Any increase in yield must be achieved
ic resources and bio-based products can, therefore, repre- sustainably on the existing land. It is also necessary to en-
sent a climate- and resource-saving alternative to fossil courage the most efficient and responsible possible uses of
raw materials and fossil-based products. Biogenic materi- the raw materials produced. New production systems must
als, such as construction materials and new materials used be taken into consideration, whereby biomass is generated,
in durable industrial goods, also extract and bind CO2 from for example, in a technological setting or on degraded land.
the atmosphere for long periods of time. Germany’s Feder- Where there are competing uses, food security is always
al Government supports corresponding product and pro- the priority. At the same time, it is essential that we protect
cess developments through its funding programmes as a biodiversity and strengthen the ecosystem service func-
means to contribute to a more sustainable, efficient and tion of forests as a sink for greenhouse gases.
climate-neutral use of resources.
The Algae Science Centre at the Forschungszentrum Jülich.

Goals of the National Bioeconomy Strategy

Common strategic goals and implementation objectives for research funding and
the development of a policy framework
1
Develop bioeconomy solutions for the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development
› Align the bioeconomy with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) of the United Nations’ 2030 Agenda
› Guarantee food security for a growing world population

› Use climate-neutral production to achieve the 1.5 °C goal
› Protect, maintain and use biodiversity
2 3
Recognise and harness the Enhance and apply
potential of the bioeconomy within biological knowledge
ecological boundaries › Understand and model biological systems
› Understand production systems in an ecosystem › Develop novel production organisms for agricultural
context systems and industry
› Research conflicting objectives and interactions › Develop and establish innovative process engineering
› Integrate economy and ecology in holistic approaches concepts for bio-based production systems
› Establish a comprehensive monitoring system, › Use converging technologies such as digitisation,
measure and analyse biomass flows and implement artificial intelligence, nanotechnology, miniaturisation,
comparative sustainability assessments robotics, and automation for the bioeconomy
› Strengthen interdisciplinary collaboration
› Expand the infrastructure available for research and
technology transfer
4 5
Establish a sustainable raw material Promote Germany as the leading
base for industry location for innovation in the
› Produce and supply sustainable biogenic raw materials bioeconomy
› Conserve agricultural land and maintain soil fertility › Strengthen research transfer and take advantage
› Use biogenic raw materials and byproducts of the opportunities offered by the bioeconomy for
› Reduce dependency on fossil raw materials business models, job creation and increased revenue
› Use the potential of the bioeconomy for the across all economic sectors
development of rural areas › Accelerate the launch of bioeconomy products,
› Develop novel cycles for the production, processing processes and services on the market
and recycling of biogenic resources, for instance in › Establish novel supply chains
urban areas › Support start-ups and small and medium-sized
enterprises
› Promote clusters und model regions
6
Involve society in the bioeconomy and strengthen
national and international collaboration
› Set up an advisory committee featuring a wide array of expertise
› Promote dialogue with interested groups in society
› Strengthen the social sciences in research for the bioeconomy
› Expand European and international collaboration
2.2 Goals and implementation

of the Bioeconomy Strategy
Flanked by the two guidelines, the Federal Government’s ter and explained in more detail in the following chapters
Bioeconomy Strategy addresses a broad spectrum of goals on research funding and the prevailing framework con-
adopted at different social levels and applying across all ditions. The overview on page 16 summarises the com-
economic sectors. The objectives are set out within the mon strategic goals and the corresponding implementa-
overall context in the remaining sections of this chap- tion goals.
2.3 Bioeconomy as a contribution

to sustainability
The overarching goal of sustainability is an objective that ‘Affordable and Clean Energy’, SDG 8 ‘Decent Work and Eco-
the bioeconomy shares with various other initiatives, each nomic Growth’, SDG 9 ‘Industry, Innovation and Infrastruc-
of which addresses specific aspects along the path towards ture’, SDG 11 ‘Sustainable Cities and Communities’, SDG 12
greater sustainability. In recent years, the German Feder- ‘Sustainable Consumption and Production’, SDG 13 ‘Meas-
al Government has launched numerous measures to anchor ures for Climate Protection’, SDG 14 ‘Life under Water’ and
sustainability as a cross-cutting issue applying across all pol- SDG 15 ‘Life on Land’.
icy areas and economic sectors. With the ‘German Sustain-
ability Strategy’6, the Federal Government committed to The considerable role that the bioeconomy can play in the
promoting sustainable development as a fundamental goal achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals is gen-
and establishing it as a benchmark for all government ac- erally recognised. This is reflected, among other things, in
tion. The government has set clear and comprehensive goals the numerous political initiatives that have been under-
for the political implementation of the United Nations’ sus- taken lately. A number of the 16 federal states that make up
tainability agenda. Important aspects are also addressed in Germany have developed their own bioeconomy strategies
the government’s own programmes; for example, on climate in recent years, and in 2012 the European Union introduced
protection, resource efficiency7 and circular economy8, sus- its own bioeconomy strategy. This strategy was revised in
tainability research9 and biological diversity10. The ‘High- 201813 , with a stronger emphasis placed on sustainability
Tech Strategy 2025’11, an overarching innovation strategy, and viability, the definition of new priorities, and the reaf-
sets out a specific sphere of activity and defines various mis- firmation of the five goals of the original strategy, namely
sions addressing the issue of sustainability. The Federal Gov- to secure the supply of food, manage natural resources sus-
ernment’s National Bioeconomy Strategy is in line with these tainably, reduce dependence on unsustainable raw materi-
initiatives and promotes the strengthening of a bio-based als, combat and adapt to climate change, increase compet-
economy as an essential pillar of its sustainability policy. itiveness, and secure and create jobs. The German National
Bioeconomy Strategy embraces these objectives.
The issue of sustainability continues to grow in importance
at an international level. There is an increased global effort The growing importance of the bioeconomy is not limit-
to harmonise and coordinate policies. With the adoption of ed to Germany and Europe. Approximately fifty countries
the ‘Agenda 2030 for Sustainable Development’12 in 2015, the around the world have developed bioeconomy strategies of
international community acting under the auspices of the their own. Their programmes differ in accordance with the
United Nations set out 17 Sustainable Development Goals available biogenic resources and prevailing national po-
(SDGs) with 169 accompanying targets. The bioeconomy is litical, social and technological framework. These strate-
in a position to addresses numerous aspects of these com- gies illustrate the wide scope encompassed by the bioecon-
prehensive development goals. Of particular note are the omy. The trend reveals that a growing number of countries
potential contributions to SDG 2 ‘ No Hunger’, SDG 3 ’Health are placing great hope in the potential inherent in bioeco-
and Wellbeing’, SDG 6 ‘Clean Water and Sanitation’, SDG 7 nomic solutions. However, it is also clear that the develop-
ment of the bioeconomy depends on international cooper- plementation process. In the coming years, the German
ation, which is essential if the overarching goals are to be Federal Government will intensify cooperation, both within
achieved. This opens up many opportunities for exchange, Germany and in the European Union, and with other inter-
to link best practices and even to coordinate the entire im- national partners.
UN Sustainable Development Goals relevant to the bioeconomy
3 6
Good Health and Clean Water
Well-Being and Sanitation
2 7
Zero Affordable and
Hunger Clean Energy
15 8
Life on Decent Work
Land and Economic
Growth
14 9
Life below Industry,
Water Innovation and
Infrastructure
13 11
Climate Action Sustainable Cities
and Communities
12 Responsible Consumption
and Production
2.4 Global challenges, holistic solutions

The way we currently produce and consume at a global lev- tunities that will be available to future generations. Our
el is fast approaching, and in some cases already exceeding, economic system must be sustainable and future-oriented.
the limits of our planet’s ability to provide. It will not be
possible to satisfy the consumption habits of a growing and Our ability to come up with solutions to the major soci-
increasingly demanding world population in the long term etal challenges we face and to establish a more sustaina-
without destroying our livelihoods, if there is not a funda- ble economy requires the adoption of a holistic perspec-
mental change in our behaviour. This is all the more true tive. What we need are sustainable solutions that provide
now that the consequences of climate change and the over- alternatives to established forms of production and con-
use of the planet’s resources are becoming more and more sumption patterns by taking into account systemic rela-
visible and increasingly placing limitations on the oppor- tionships. This means that we take into consideration the
interactions between biological systems and their envi- ic knowledge to reduce their impact. Under the best of cir-
ronment and the role played by abiotic sources of raw ma- cumstances, the creation of synergies will result in win–
terials and energy. It is vital that different perspectives be win situations.
combined and that interactions at all levels be considered,
ranging from organisms through ecosystems to the plane- This applies not just to the central core of the bioecono-
tary climate balance. my. Bioeconomic solutions and technologies only begin to
unfold their full potential when implemented in conjunc-
As part of this holistic approach, it is particularly impor- tion with other future technologies. Driven by digitisation
tant that we take into account not only the social and eco- and advances in technological disciplines such as microe-
nomic outcomes but also the ecological effects associated lectronics, nanotechnology and materials and process en-
with all measures undertaken. This includes posing ques- gineering, completely new applications are emerging, the
tions about the future of our economic system in gener- full potential of which cannot yet even be estimated. At the
al, but particularly also more specific questions about the same time, the broad horizon of the bioeconomy and its
consequences of digitisation and demographic develop- orientation towards current social issues also provide nu-
ment for the labour market and future employment. Giv- merous points of contact to other branches of policy and
en the complexity of the challenges we face, and the multi- research. The bioeconomy addresses questions that are al-
tude of corresponding aims, it is inevitable that some goals so of importance for the health and life sciences, environ-
will conflict. The adoption of systemic thinking and ho- mental ethics, climate research, ecosystem sciences, mate-
listic approaches will help to identify such conflicts ahead rials research, resource efficiency, renewable energies and
of time and permit us to use the best available scientif- Industry 4.0.
2.5 Bioeconomy as a development strategy

The bioeconomy is a cross-sectoral economic concept that of structurally weak regions. If we can implement the sub-
has become increasingly important in recent years. This sequent stages in the processing of the biogenic raw mate-
development can be observed in the increasing proportion rials that are required as part of an innovative bioecono-
of bio-based products and processes employed in manufac- my concept directly at the site of raw material production,
turing. It is also evident in the many bio-based innovations or in the immediate catchment area, this will have a posi-
that are currently being conceived, developed and test- tive effect in terms of value and job creation in rural areas.
ed, or which in a number of cases are already in common Resultant residues and waste materials could then, as part
use – innovations often exhibiting improved properties of a circular economy, be returned to the agricultural pro-
compared to their conventional fossil-based counterparts. duction process without additional transport effort and,
These bio-based innovations have many possible applica- whenever possible, reused as raw materials in other pro-
tions; for instance, in open-technology breeding research, cesses. Renewable raw materials can be used to underpin
biopolymer research, in the enzymatic breakdown of plant the energy supply in some regions, for example, in remote
raw materials, in the development of high-quality ingredi- rural areas, provided other renewable sources of ener-
ents based on microalgae, in organic and conventional ag- gy cannot be used to meet the demand safely and secure-
riculture, in the production of platform chemicals, in light- ly. This also applies in the case of decentralised systems for
weight construction using bio-based composite materials, the provision of energy.
in housebuilding using innovative construction and insu-
lation materials made from renewable ingredients, in the Due to the great innovation potential inherent in a large
use of bio-based geotextiles for erosion prevention, in med- number of possible uses of biogenic raw materials, and in
ical technology and biopharmaceutical and drug research, conjunction with the application of biotechnological pro-
right up to the direct use of CO2 from industrial processes cesses, the advancement of the bioeconomy will present
as a source of carbon. great opportunities for Germany to position itself interna-
tionally as a pioneer and innovation hub for the economic
As renewable raw materials are predominantly sourced sectors and jobs of tomorrow.
from rural areas, the bioeconomy is also suitable as a mod-
el for the sustainable development of the countryside and
3
Research funding for a

sustainable bioeconomy
21
2
Research and development are im-
portant drivers of the identification,
development and exploitation of the
contribution that the bioeconomy can
make to the achievement of a sustainab-
le economy. In this chapter the research
funding activities planned as part of the
new National Bioeconomy Strategy are
summarised.
Research is an important force for the identification, devel- freedom to tread unfamiliar paths. The German Federal
opment and exploitation of the potential of the bioeconomy. Government supports excellent and open research, with-
Research into the bioeconomy covers the production, har- out giving preference to certain technologies over others.
vesting and use of biological resources, and the correspond- The Federal Government has created incentives and the
ing processes and systems. The aim is to create the scientific scope for the adoption of holistic approaches and intelli-
and technical prerequisites necessary to provide sustainable gent innovation processes. It has also set a framework for
products, processes and services across all economic sectors responsible implementation that adheres to the precau-
and within the framework of a sustainable economic sys- tionary principle.
tem. Biological resources, as we understand them in bioeco-
nomy context, comprise not only the basic biogenic raw ma- Our ability to tap the potential of the bioeconomy to the
terials such as plants, algae, fungi, insects, microorganisms fullest extent possible will require the constant expansion
and biomolecules, but importantly also include our knowl- of our knowledge and of technical, social and systemic in-
edge of biological and ecological processes and systems. It is novations. The key to success is not only the replacement
vital that we are able to assess the limits to the performance of fossil raw materials, but also advancing the development
and the capacities of these systems. The objective behind bi- of new bio-based products and processes, thereby reducing
oeconomy research approaches is to unlock the potential our overall raw material and energy requirements. The de-
inherent within the bioeconomy. The basis for the devel- velopment of tailor-made bioeconomic innovations with
opment of innovative products and processes is a deep un- high added value and novel properties and functions will
derstanding of biological systems. In order for these systems lead to new business segments in growing and, in some
to work within the framework of the sustainability agenda, cases, entirely new markets. The new National Bioecono-
the overarching relationships must be understood and the my Strategy forms an important pillar of the Federal Gov-
associated opportunities and risks must be considered, both ernment’s ‘From Biology to Innovation’ agenda.
in the production of biogenic raw materials and in the use of
biotechnological processes. Research will help to drive the necessary transforma-
tion process towards a sustainable economic system. This
The German National Research Strategy ‘BioEconomy will have an impact on the way production and operations
2030’ has made significant steps towards this goal since its are conducted within a sector. Understanding this social
introduction in 2010. The research programme underpin- change, with all of its attendant consequences, is an impor-
ning the new National Bioeconomy Strategy builds upon tant component of bioeconomy research. It is essential that
these successes and on the knowledge gained. research funding be transparent and that it include differ-
ent forms of participation, especially when it comes to de-
This amassing of knowledge is made possible, among oth- fining problems and gaps in our knowledge, but also to de-
er things, by linking existing processes and traditional velop proposals for actions and measures. Research creates
knowledge with the use and further development of cut- the prerequisites necessary to shape the current transi-
ting-edge technologies (smart technology and high-tech). tion towards a bioeconomy so that it is in line with the de-
In order to create completely new future technologies and mands of society and with sustainability objectives.
breakthrough innovations, science must be granted the
RESEARCH FUNDING FOR A SUSTAINABLE BIOECONOMY 23
Overview of the bioeconomy research landscape in Germany
Universities
Universities of Applied Sciences
Non-university research
Departmental research 3
1 2 Kiel Rostock
2
2
2 2
Hamburg 3
1
2
2 1
1
7
Bremen 6
9 4 Berlin
9 2
4 3
Hannover 10
Potsdam
Magdeburg 2
2 2
8 2 16
11 8 Göttingen 2 1
1 9
Dusseldorf Leipzig Dresden

Erfurt
3
3 2
Cologne 6 2 15
5 2 2 3
13 5
2 Frankfurt a. M.
5 4
5 Mainz
2 Nuremberg
1
4
Heidelberg
Saarbrücken 8
8 6
Stuttgart 11
10
9 7
16 Munich
Freiburg
3.1 Focus of the research funding

Research funding for the bioeconomy follows the guide- teractions in ecosystems and within the wider environment.
lines outlined above. It is targeted towards achieving the For a comprehensive understanding of biological systems,
strategic goals of the National Bioeconomy Strategy. however, it is not sufficient to look at the different stages in-
dividually. It is only through the interaction of different el-
ements and levels that new systemic properties develop. To
Expanding biological knowledge advance our understanding of these complex relationships,
through research the exchange between the life sciences and converging areas
of science and technology must be intensified.
The foundation of the bioeconomy is knowledge of biologi-
cal principles, systems and processes. In recognition of this,
the Federal Government intends to consistently push re- Using biological knowledge to
search and development onwards and to further strength-
en the continuous gains being made in our knowledge in
create bio-based innovations
relation to the life sciences. The expansion, intelligent use and meshing of biologi-
cal knowledge are the root of invention and innovation in
This applies to all levels of biological systems, from mole- the bioeconomy. It is only through a deeper understanding
cules through single and multicellular organisms to their in- of the basic mechanisms of life that the enormous poten-
tial that our knowledge of biology holds in terms of bioec- Combining ecology and economy
onomic innovations can be revealed. To attain this deeper
knowledge, research must be intensified, from the funda-
through resource conservation
mentals through applied approaches to pilot plants and The bioeconomy provides an opportunity to combine ecol-
demonstrators covering all conceivable technologies. Crea- ogy and economy. The uncoupling of economic prosperity
tive and courageous ideas should be encouraged. from resource consumption requires that all resources be
used efficiently and sustainably, and that energy and mate-
Advances in, for example, nanotechnology, informa- rial flows remain closed in a circular economy to the great-
tion technology and cognitive, material and engineering est extent possible. Reducing the pressure on resources is
sciences lead to new fields of application in the bioecono- both economically profitable and ecologically valuable.
my, while new biological knowledge inspires these branch-
es of science and technology in turn. The resulting syner- The focus of bioeconomy research is, therefore, on a ho-
gies have the potential to engender sustainable competitive listic approach to bio-based processes – from the produc-
innovation and the development of key new future and tion of the raw material, through processing and conver-
emerging technologies of high economic value. Some ex- sion, to the product and its end-of-life use. The recovery
amples of bioeconomic innovations are: precisely tailored of resources is addressed, as is the recycling and reuse of
biological processes in industrial and agricultural produc- byproducts, residues and waste streams. Research results
tion, innovative products with new, smart functions, and should make it possible to link supply chains across sectors
largely closed material cycles. to create value networks that are as resource-efficient, eco-
logically advantageous and profitable as possible.
Digitisation also plays a key role in the generation of bio-
based innovations and is crucially important for the entire Approaches involving a coupling and cascade use of re-
innovation process. It makes it possible to capture enor- sources help to ensure that innovative areas of the bioec-
mous amounts of data pertaining to biological systems. It onomy continue to grow in conjunction with established
also allows us to network the data intelligently and so to supply chains. The establishment of value creation net-
exploit the innovative power of integrated systems. works of this kind can also help forge a connection to new
economic sectors and create the conditions required for
a sustainable transformation to a high-performance bio-
Conserving natural resources based economy.
through bio-based innovations

When transitioning to bio-based innovations, it is essential Ensuring sustainability through
that due consideration be given to the availability of natu-
ral resources within ecological limits. The protection, sus-
bioeconomic solutions
tainable and responsible use of ecosystems and the services The overarching goal at the heart of the development a
they provide to society are crucial. These essential servic- bio-based economy is sustainability. The complexity of the
es include the preservation of biodiversity, the provision of bioeconomy means that it is necessary to consider the re-
clean water and healthy soils, and climate regulation. lationships between technical, ecological, economic and
social factors when looking for sustainable solutions. As
The ultimate aim of research funded under the strategy is soon as the various sustainability goals are translated in-
to bring about a significant reduction in the high current to concrete individual measures, conflicting aims often
levels of consumption of non-renewable resources such as arise within these dimensions. To recognise conflicting
fossil fuels and mineral raw materials. Biogenic resources aims at an early stage, and to prevent negative outcomes,
must be produced and used efficiently and sustainably, al- bioeconomy research must be interdisciplinary and trans-
ways bearing in mind potential conflicts between compet- disciplinary. It must also pay close attention to global de-
ing objectives; for example, in the area of land and resource velopments. Holistic perspectives require the inclusion of
use. This applies to bioeconomic innovations in both pri- natural and technical sciences, while also incorporating
mary production (agriculture, forestry, the marine area, social sciences and taking into account relevant ethical is-
aquaculture) and in industry. sues. Only in this way will the bioeconomy be able to en-
sure sustainability.
3.2 Building blocks for the implementation

of research funding
The objectives behind the funding of bioeconomy research cesses, their regulation and other interactions. The need to
address complex issues and challenges. This necessitates develop a comprehensive understanding of the system af-
the adoption of systemic approaches that integrate and fects all levels, from elementary biomolecular processes to
merge different branches of science and areas of knowl- entire ecosystems and global cycles. Only on this basis can
edge. Bioeconomy research encompasses natural, techni- we achieve a holistic understanding of the diverse and dy-
cal and also social sciences, and ranges from basic research namic processes occurring in biological systems, and their
through applied research to experimental development. interaction with the environment.
The evolution of biological knowledge and cutting-edge
technologies relevant to the bioeconomy does not always The building block ‘Biological knowledge as the key to the
follow a continuous path marked by incremental innova- bioeconomy’ follows this logic, incorporating research on
tions; it tends rather to progress in leaps and bounds, often topics ranging from basic biological processes to planetary
through disruptive innovations. perspectives.
The funding for research must be structured in such a way

that the requirements highlighted above are met. For the Understanding and modelling
purposes of implementation, modular building blocks that
cover the various aspects of the bioeconomy have been de-
biological systems
fined. These modules substantiate research priorities and It is also important to promote systems biology approach-
create a constructive scope for funding guidelines that will es and to seek to merge the data obtained from the var-
address specific funding needs thematically, methodolog- ious corresponding fields of research such as genomics,
ically and conceptually. They also make it possible to take epigenomics, proteomics and metabolomics (collective-
up new knowledge and current developments. The inter- ly referred to as ‘omics’) concerning new bioinformatic in-
locking building blocks allow the research policy goals to struments and suitable infrastructures. Modelling and
be implemented in a flexible way. simulation approaches can map the underlying biological
and ecological systems on this basis and thus make them
accessible in all their complexity. By developing new inte-
3.2.1 Biological knowledge as the grative approaches, modular knowledge derived from the
key to the bioeconomy various omics fields shall be cross-linked at the various hi-
erarchical levels of biological systems. System properties,
that is, properties that cannot be explained or derived from
Biological knowledge is the basis for the development of the individual system elements, can be determined in this
key technologies and makes possible the development way. The goal is to establish systems biology approaches as
of tailor-made bioeconomic innovations for both estab- a key not only to future life sciences technologies but to the
lished industries and for new fields of application and sec- bioeconomy as a whole.
tors. Biological knowledge creates the conditions required
for the sustainable solutions of the future. Sustainability Of particular importance here is the research on the epig-
means that the solutions are ecologically sound, econom- enome of plants, the microbiome of plant roots, and the
ically competitive and socially desirable. In order to meet metabolic networks of microorganisms. Models that are
this comprehensive sustainability requirement, biological able to make reliable statements about the functioning of
knowledge must be combined with knowledge of the cor- regulatory mechanisms in living cells and the interactions
responding ecosystem, economic and social relationships. between biological systems and the environment can al-
so generate relevant insights that may lead to new sustain-
A central challenge facing bioeconomy research is the need able solutions.
to deepen and integrate knowledge about biological pro-
Building blocks of the research funding
1 2
Biological knowledge as Biological converging
the key to the bioeconomy technologies and
› Understand and model biological systems cross-disciplinary collaboration
› Develop novel production organisms for primary › Promote inter- and transdisciplinarity
production and industry › Exploit nanotechnology, miniaturisation,
› Derive innovative biotechnological process digitisation, automation and artificial intelligence
concepts for bio-based production systems for the bioeconomy
› Sustainably generate biogenic resources
3 4
Limits and potential Technology transfer
› Reduce pressure on ecological boundaries › Establish new value creation networks
› Recognise and tap sustainable potential › Support start-ups and small and medium-sized
› Establish bioeconomy monitoring, quantify and enterprises (SMEs)
evaluate the bioeconomy › Strengthen infrastructures for research and
technology transfer
› Promote young people and qualifications
5 6
Bioeconomy and society Global research collaborations
› Research interactions and conflicting goals › Promote cooperation in Europe
› Undertake comparative sustainability reports and › Strengthen cooperation with non-European
develop certification systems partners
Novel production organisms for Important aims in the context of breeding for sustaina-
primary production and industry ble plant production are yield optimisation, optimal use
of nutrients, resistance to and tolerance of flooding, heat,
One of the fundamental conditions of the bioeconomy is drought and plant diseases and pests, adaptation to soil
the need for the sustainable production of biogenic raw quality, and the preservation of genetic diversity. In addi-
materials and products in both agriculture and indus- tion to plant crops, the role assumed in the modern bio-
try. In order to meet this requirement, and to produce effi- economy by insects, fungi, microorganisms and aquatic
ciently while conserving resources, it may be necessary to life forms such as algae is also growing in importance. The
adapt production organisms, in particular useful plants, German Federal Government will support this develop-
but also insects, algae, fungi and microorganisms, to the ment with appropriate funding measures.
respective environmental, climate and production condi-
tions. Research should be open with regard to the methods Research and development into new organisms plays an im-
and technologies employed, and should also include mod- portant role in industrial production and extends the port-
ern molecular biological approaches adopted within closed folio of classic biotechnology. The properties of the micro-
systems. organisms used industrially such as bacteria, fungi and
microalgae can be specifically adapted to production condi-
tions using innovative methods of metabolic engineering or
synthetic biology. In addition to the development of resilient Artificial production systems represent approaches that sig-
and efficient production strains, research will also focus in nificantly expand the potential range of application of bio-
particular on expanding the product range. It is important to based production processes.
promote research approaches targeting the development of
new materials and products with tailor-made properties (for
example, properties that are optimally tailored to a specific Innovative biotechnological
need or a new function, such as fully recyclable biopolymers,
novel biopharmaceuticals to combat antibiotic resistance
process concepts for bio-based
and environmentally compatible chemicals). This should fa- production systems
cilitate an optimal adaptation to the requirements of the
market and of the environment. In order to harness the po- In the interests of sustainability, it is necessary that we
tential inherent in the diversity of microbial species and their view not only the organisms used in biotechnological pro-
various metabolic properties, microorganisms that have not duction holistically but also the processes in which they
yet been used for this purpose but which are suitable for ap- are used. In some cases we may even need to completely re-
plication in industrial production are to be identified and think how we use these organisms. Innovative, efficient
further developed as platform organisms for biotechnology. and modular bioprocess concepts should be developed so
as to enable their flexible adaptation to different locations,
In addition to the use of tailor-made microorganisms in in- raw materials and products.
dustrial production, biotechnological research also presents
opportunities to provide artificial and cell-free production Considerable research effort is yet required to get to the
systems for the bioeconomy. Such systems make possible, for point where we can efficiently provide biomass for down-
example, the production of complex antibodies for specific stream production processes that is accessible, treated and
medical applications and of substances that are toxic to cells. in line with demand. The development of novel biotechno-
The establishment of the Fraunhofer Centre for Chemical-Biotechnological Processes in Leuna was supported by the BMBF and BMEL.
logical processes is essential for further optimisation of the timately, this pertains not only to the agriculture and for-
use of biogenic residues and to convert byproducts and res- estry sectors. Large parts of the planet’s terrestrial and
idue flows into valuable products. We need to create new maritime ecosystems have been fundamentally changed
concepts for coupled and cascade use, and to optimise bi- by human activity. It is vital that in future the effect of hu-
orefinery concepts holistically. man interventions in specific ecosystems and global ma-
terial and energy cycles be taken into account in relation
In closed reaction processes, waste streams that have not to all technologies and uses of resources. The bioeconomy
yet been recycled or which have an as yet unused potential can be a pivotal lever with which to achieve greater sus-
value can serve as an ecologically and economically advan- tainability in the production of biogenic raw materials and
tageous source of raw materials for industry and agricul- in industrial manufacturing processes. This also involves
ture. This includes organic waste, municipal and industri- conceiving new ways to produce biogenic raw materials for
al waste water, and industrial waste gases. The direct use material and energy purposes.
of, for example, carbon dioxide or of the synthesis gas pro-
duced in industry as a source of carbon in industrial bio- Placing agriculture and forestry on an innovative and sus-
processes can contribute to the achievement of a high level tainable footing for the future necessitates not only sub-
of greenhouse gas neutrality in future industrial produc- stantial, broad-based fundamental research to better un-
tion. Important resources such as rare metals and phos- derstand the underlying biological and (agricultural)
phorous can also be recovered using tailor-made biocat- ecological systems but also the development of suitable,
alysts, and plastics can be broken down into their basic application-oriented approaches. These may be based on
building blocks. The development of innovative methods cutting edge and key technologies, but also on concepts
and processes for the efficient processing and recycling of that combine existing agricultural techniques and ecolog-
these often complex and toxic starting materials should be ical requirements in new ways. Through the development
promoted in a targeted manner. of appropriate sustainable cultivation and production sys-
tems, agricultural production can be adapted to respond
flexibly to regional and location-specific conditions, for ex-
Generate biogenic resources ample, using new smart farming approaches. It is of central
sustainably importance in this context that biodiversity conservation

and the preservation of soil and water quality be recog-
Agriculture and forestry are a central pillar of a bio-based nised as prerequisites for the maintenance of ecosystem
economy. Nevertheless, these sectors are challenged to re- services, and that these considerations be incorporated in-
duce their consumption of resources and space, and to re- to the valuation of bio-based products.
duce greenhouse gas emissions and biodiversity loss, as
highlighted in recent reports by the World Climate Coun- This can pave the way for the maintenance of innovative
cil and the World Biodiversity Council14 . The effects of cli- and sustainable agricultural and forest systems that are re-
mate change and of conflicting objectives, such as com- source-efficient, competitive and resilient in the face of
peting demands in relation to land use, pose other major changing climate and environmental conditions, while
challenges. continuing to provide the necessary supply of biogenic re-
sources. Funding for research will support in particular
Agriculture is vital, and in the future it will need to feed a the development of novel, circular and lower input culti-
growing world population. However, agricultural produc- vation and production systems, including in organic farm-
tion is also a major cause of human-related environmen- ing. These may be regionally adapted on-site agricultural,
tal changes affecting land use, biodiversity, water balance, forestry or aquatic production systems targeting a closed
nutrient cycles and the global climate balance. There is a circuit of material flows. Alternative forms of production
growing awareness that the agricultural sector itself must are also conceivable for use on sealed land in urban and
be viewed as an ecological system. Agricultural production peri-urban areas, such as (modular) high-tech production
relies on ecosystem services, and must in turn contribute systems that work in a controlled environment with low
to the protection of these services. Agriculture and forestry space and energy requirements and in largely closed circu-
must be perceived holistically as agro-ecological systems lation systems. One example of this is vertical farming.
and through research we must continue to expand our un-
derstanding of ecosystem relations. In the long term, research must lead to a variety of adap-
tation strategies and key innovations, identify integrat-
Holistic perspectives that assess agricultural production ed solutions and pool resources in order to create synergies
systems not only on the basis of yield but also according to for the benefit of people and the environment, and to re-
their ecological performance are especially important. Ul- duce trade-offs. These integrated solutions shall combine
technological approaches with location-specific procedures sector, for example, to analyse the interaction of soils, mi-
to create alternative concepts promoting sustainability. croorganisms, plants and the environment, or to record the
appearance of organisms quickly, precisely and non-de-
structively.
3.2.2 Converging technologies
and cross-disciplinary 3.2.3 Limits and potential
collaboration
Humans have always intervened in nature and changed
Promising starting points for bioeconomic innovations their environments. Since industrialisation the extent of
can be found particularly in systemic, interdisciplinary humankind’s exploitation of nature has increased, with the
and transdisciplinary approaches that combine biological result that natural systems have been thrown out of equi-
knowledge with converging technologies. Converging are- librium. Climate change, loss of species and endangered
as of knowledge and technologies such as nanotechnology, ecosystems are the consequences. The continuation, ex-
miniaturisation, digitisation, automation and artificial in- pansion and acceleration of the current production and re-
telligence are of great importance for the bioeconomy. cycling of raw materials will lead to further environmental
damage, biodiversity losses, and an increase in greenhouse
The use of synergies and interfaces between the various gas emissions according to reports of the World Climate
specialist disciplines should be promoted, especially in the Council and the World Biodiversity Council published in
context of research and development for future technol- 2019. The planet’s ecological boundaries are increasingly
ogies. Suitable instruments, such as virtual interdiscipli- being stretched to the limit and have in some cases already
nary centres or new multidisciplinary and cross-sectoral been exceeded. The contribution the bioeconomy seeks to
funding concepts, are needed to strengthen networking make is to ensure that we remain within these limits. It is
amongst stakeholders and to establish cross-disciplinary vital, therefore, to know the stress limits of the ecosystems
cooperation. that are of importance for the bioeconomy. To recognise
and to tap the potential of the bioeconomy necessitates an
Digitisation has an important cross-cutting function in re- understanding of the environment. In order to ensure that
lation to the generation and use of biological knowledge the bioeconomy operates within ecological boundaries and
and in connecting different technologies. Using the lat- that it does not exacerbate the pressure on resources, our
est tools in computer science, and with the development of knowledge of ecosystem effects and planetary cycles must
computer-aided mathematical models, large amounts of be expanded and meshed.
data collected at different scales in various branches of the
life sciences can be evaluated intelligently. Researchers can
gain valuable insights into the functioning of biological Quantification of the bioeconomy
systems, opening up new dimensions for the use of biolog-
ical knowledge. A prerequisite for the efficient and success- To successfully design a sustainable bioeconomy it is im-
ful use of digital data is data harmonisation, in combina- portant to measure and assess the exact economic, ecolog-
tion with efficient data management systems, advanced ical and social effects of bio-based management. Data and
interface concepts and the development and use of stand- calculation methods are needed to determine the level of
ards. greenhouse gas emissions and the extent of the use of ma-
terials, energy, water and land of different qualities that
Digitisation also holds great potential for innovation in are associated with certain forms of production, includ-
the bioeconomy in relation to simulation and modelling. ing how more intensive use affects biodiversity. It is im-
Models can be used not only to describe biological process- portant to assess the availability of biomass – differentiat-
es and systems, but should also increasingly be used for the ed in terms of space, time and ecological importance – on
purposes of impact assessment, prediction and the target- the one hand, and the demand for biomass on the other.
ed design of efficient and tailor-made bio-based processes. The demand for biomass that is exempted from use, for ex-
For faster development and better monitoring and control ample, for the purposes of CO2 fixation and for biodiversity
of biotechnological production processes, technologi- protection, must also be considered. It is essential that we
cal progress will be supported in the areas of smart sensor understand biomass flows and cycles, and that we can esti-
technology, artificial intelligence, automation, miniatur- mate them using suitable methods.
isation and parallelisation of process steps, as well as high
throughput analyses. Corresponding technological devel- It is only by adopting a holistic perspective that also in-
opments can also increasingly be used in the agricultural cludes possible alternatives that we can find the best pos-
sible solutions satisfying a comprehensive interpretation

of sustainability. The necessary instruments are current-
ly only available in part. With the aid of research these gaps
should be closed in the coming years. First of all, it is nec-
essary to develop indicators that make it possible to record
all dimensions of the bioeconomy and to back these up
with corresponding criteria. Existing and new data must
be identified and merged. A holistic equilibrium can only
be achieved when we can either measure or estimate pre-
cisely the extent of the use of biomass over the entire life
cycle, from production to reuse, and of the application of
bioeconomic processes with all their outcomes and feed-
back effects. Comprehensive and reliable impact assess-
ments of technical, economic and ecological developments
in the bioeconomy can also be carried out on this basis.
The pilot phase of an extensive monitoring process intend-

ed to create the scientific prerequisites required for just
such a quantification of the bioeconomy has been initiated.
This work should be continued and expanded upon as an
overarching instrument of the National Bioeconomy Strat-
egy (see section 5.6). The monitoring of the bioeconomy
should help us better understand the development towards
a sustainable bioeconomy. It should serve as the basis to
evaluate steering and prioritisation at the policy level.
3.2.4 Transfer from idea

to application
It is not enough to acquire biological knowledge and to de-

velop sustainable technologies. Only when these are suc-
cessfully transferred onto the market as products and pro-
cesses will their positive impacts for the environment and
society be achieved. Experience shows that not every good support for ground-breaking ideas on their way to applica-
idea prevails. The risks often appear too high, and some- tion, and is also open to bioeconomic innovations.
times there is a lack of financing options for the necessary
steps between the idea and the market launch. The Feder-
al Government wants to prevent promising bioeconomic Establishing new supply chains
innovations from failing because of these barriers and in-
tends to support innovation all the way to the point of ap- A central element in the transfer of knowledge to applica-
plication. It is necessary to create and develop interfaces tion is a closer networking of the actors involved, both be-
between research and application, and to establish inti- tween research and industry and between different sectors
mate connections between all of the actors involved in the of the economy. The German Federal Government sup-
innovation process. For this purpose, instruments that ports the early and transparent integration of companies
support the validation of research results for a transfer to and those with economic expertise in the research and de-
practical application are provided. velopment process, because this ensures that these pro-
cesses are sufficiently oriented towards the needs of the
The Agency for Breakthrough Innovations (Agentur für market. A suitable instrument in this regard are explora-
Sprunginnovationen), founded under the aegis of the Fed- tory phases that precede the actual research project. It can
eral Ministry of Education and Research and the Feder- be assumed that the increasing use of bio-based process-
al Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy, offers further es and products will serve to alter existing supply chains.
In the course of this change, new value creation networks
often emerge. Part of the reason for this is that the com- It is also necessary to create spaces that allow for the tar-
plex mixtures of biomass often result in the creation in ad- geted conversion of scientific knowledge into marketable
dition to the desired product of byproducts, which can in and competitive applications. Demonstration and living
turn can serve as a raw material for other processes. To in- laboratories provide an opportunity to test innovations in-
crease both efficiency and added value, alternative ways tegrated within established processes. In order to minimise
to use individual components or byproducts must be re- the high investment risk associated with launching bio-
searched and tested. This is only possible if stakeholders based products and processes, an opportunity to test inno-
work together, and if expertise from different disciplines is vations on a larger scale in pilot plants should also be cre-
bundled. The same applies to the circular economy. Ideal- ated.
ly, product design should already take into account how a
particular product can be processed or recycled at the end
of its useful life. The German Federal Government sup- Young talent and qualifications
ports networking between the producers and users in a
supply chain by, for example, funding suitable collabora- The complex questions confronted by the bioeconomy go
tive projects or establishing clusters. beyond disciplinary boundaries and require an entirely
new quality of systemic thinking and action. This calls for
highly qualified experts who, in addition to their specialist
Support for start-ups and small knowledge, acquire during their training and studies the
and medium-sized enterprises ability to engage in interdisciplinary and transdisciplinary

work. Further training measures must also be provided to
(SMEs) accompany them throughout their careers. Fundamental
business knowledge should be imparted earlier than has
Start-ups and young companies, as well as small and medi- been the case in the past. Special prizes and funding mod-
um-sized (SMEs) enterprises, are important drivers and pro- ules create incentives for bioeconomy career planning in
viders of innovation within the bioeconomy. However, of- science and industry as part of research funding. Further
ten they lack sufficient funding opportunities. Due to the overarching instruments can be found in section 5.5 ‘Qual-
longer-than-average development times and innovation cy- ifications and skilled personnel`.
cles often associated with product development in the life
sciences, these companies frequently require targeted fund-
ing beyond that necessary in many other industries. Specif- 3.2.5 Bioeconomy and society
ic measures to promote small and medium-sized enterprises
and start-ups are currently under development. The Central Climate change, demographic growth, supplying a grow-
Innovation Programme for SMEs (Zentrale Innovationspro- ing world population with high-quality food and raw ma-
gramm Mittelstand, ZIM) of the Federal Ministry for Eco- terials, the limited availability of planetary resources and
nomic Affairs and Energy is also available as a means of sup- the protection of the biosphere, including biodiversity, are
port for innovations in the bioeconomy. the great societal challenges of our time. Technical means
alone will not suffice to meet these challenges because
technological innovations do not always lead to the solu-
Infrastructures for research and tions they were intended to provide. A basic understanding
technology transfer of systemic relationships and global change is a prerequi-

site for solution strategies in which technological innova-
The successful conversion of scientific knowledge to com- tions are meaningfully and successfully embedded. To un-
petitive products and processes is only possible if the re- derstand these social transformation processes, and the
quirements of the market and industry, such as raw ma- socio-technical change, we require more extensive social,
terial availability, technical requirements, regulatory political and economic research.
challenges and cost factors, are considered at an early stage
of the research and development process. It is very impor-
tant that infrastructures for bioeconomy research be cre- Research interactions and
ated that facilitate application-oriented collaboration even
more efficiently than has been the case to date, includ-
conflicting goals
ing across disciplinary boundaries. A number of important With the new National Bioeconomy Strategy, the Feder-
steps have already been taken in this regard in recent years. al Government is assuming responsibility for sustaina-
ble development. The bioeconomy must help us to achieve
the overarching political goals of climate protection and
AREAS OF ACTION TO IMPROVE THE FRAMEWORK FOR A SUSTAINABLE BIOECONOMY 33
sustainable development in line with the United Nations’ Comparative sustainability reports
Agenda 2030, to which the Federal Government has com-
mitted itself. Individual goals must not be achieved at the
and certification systems
expense of other goals. We can only achieve our aims if we To achieve optimal solutions, it is essential that compara-
continuously expand our understanding of systemic relative sustainability balances be created on the basis of com-
tionships – from material cycles in individual cultivation prehensive life cycle analyses revealing the conditions un-
systems through the functioning of ecosystems to plane- der which bio-based products and corresponding processes
tary boundaries, which the current European bioeconomy are superior to other solutions. This includes both conven-
strategy also emphasises. tional fossil-based alternatives and those based on the use
of other renewable raw materials. Corresponding research
The interdisciplinarity of bioeconomy research is of great projects provide a vital foundation for decision-making in
importance for the production of this knowledge. This ap- relation to the ongoing development of the bioeconomy.
plies equally to the natural and technical sciences and to
the social, political and economic sciences. Only across dis- The development of meaningful synoptic indicators can
ciplines can real-world problems be captured in their com- also serve as the basis for possible certification systems that
plexity, their relationships and conflicting goals be ana- clarify the additional benefits and sustainability of bio-
lysed, and sustainable solutions that meet the needs and based products and thereby strengthen their market posi-
expectations of society be found. tion. On this basis, political decisions aimed at steering bi-
omass production can also be made.
The sustainability of the solutions found depends not least
on the interactions between the technical possibilities and
economic, social and ecological factors. These interactions 3.2.6 Global research collaboration
also include conflicting goals, for example, in relation to
competing demands over the use of land and resources. Bi- The exchange of knowledge across national borders un-
oeconomy research is a new, technology-open form of re- leashes synergies, both for the cooperating partners and
search and development. for the bioeconomy as a whole. The German Federal Gov-
ernment will continue to improve the conditions for inter-
New technologies, including biotechnologies, can serve to national learning and research. The aim is to perceive of
further intensify the existing competition between pro- and to implement sustainability and the bioeconomy in a
tection, use and marketing interests. It is necessary to ex- global context. Germany can benefit from this as a location
amine comprehensively the opportunities and risks as- for science, technology and innovation. An expansion and
sociated with the development and spread of specific new continuation of international cooperation reflects Germa-
technologies. Issues such as the value of nature and of eco- ny’s global responsibility.
system services, access to resources, their fair distribu-
tion and sufficiency are also important. In many countries The foundations for this cooperation have been laid. In re-
around the world, these issues are linked to fundamental cent years, the German Federal Government has promoted
questions about the relationship between human rights, de- the establishment of transnational research networks in-
mocracy and nature conservation, all subject areas contain- tensively, and has taken measures to ensure that German
ing a strong ethical component. Ethical principles can help research institutions enjoy an excellent reputation world-
to identify conflicting goals in the bioeconomy and to pro- wide. The Global Bioeconomy Summit has become estab-
vide solutions. In the context of global challenges (securing lished as a platform for exchange between international
food, combating climate change, stopping biodiversity loss, experts, even beyond research. Initiated by the Bioecono-
protecting natural spaces), at the forefront of the global race my Council, mandated to run from 2012 to 2019, and fund-
for access to natural resources are land and soil, biodiversi- ed by the German Federal Government, this high-level
ty and water. The more dynamic the expansion of the bioec- summit has grown into an institution that provides im-
onomy, the more urgent the need to address these questions portant impulses for the further development and coordi-
in the social, political and economic sciences in order to find nation of various bioeconomy approaches.
sustainable solutions. The aim of the research is to contrib-
ute to the assessment of the potential inherent in the bioec-
onomy, its practical design, the consequences with regard to Cooperation in Europe
various aspects of sustainability, and the options for action
that are available. The Federal Government will continue cooperation in the
areas of research, development and innovation for the
bioeconomy in Europe and will work to strengthen this
collaboration. Intensive exchange with the EU Member nomy through its own mix of raw materials, technologies,
States within appropriate working groups – including the knowledge and ideas. Cooperation can support the estab-
Standing Committee on Agricultural Research (SCAR) and lishment of a bio-based economy and serve to link the in-
the States Representative Group of the Bio-Based Indus- dividual approaches in the best possible way.
tries Joint Undertaking (BBI JU) – is a central pillar of this
commitment. The German Federal Government will ac-
tively support the development of the bioeconomy at EU
level through constructive dialogue with its partners and
work towards the successful implementation of the Euro-
pean bioeconomy strategy.
Cooperation with non-European

partners
Beyond the borders of Europe, cooperation with non-Euro-
pean experts will also be continued and expanded. Prior-
ities will be set through targeted bilateral research collab-
orations with selected countries. International measures
supporting cooperation between German institutions and
partners from other nations will be initiated. The Feder-
al Government is convinced that each country and region
can make an individual contribution to the global bioeco-
4
Areas of action to improve

the framework for a sustainable
bioeconomy
37
As a cross-cutting topic, the bioeconomy

touches all economic sectors. To
address the bioeconomy effectively, it is
necessary to link different policy areas in
a manner that is sensible and coherent.
The central areas of action required
to improve the policy framework are
presented on the following pages.
Action areas for a sustainable bioeconomy

to improve the policy framework
1
Reduction of the pressure on land
2
Sustainable production and supply of biogenic raw materials
3
Establishment and development of bioeconomy supply chains and networks
4 Market launch and establishment of bio-based products, processes and services
5
Exploitation of the potential inherent in the bioeconomy for the development of rural areas
6
Exploitation of the potential of digitisation for the bioeconomy
Political coherence
7
Agricultural, forestry Climate and
Industry policy Energy policy
and fisheries policy environmental policy
As a cross-cutting topic, the bioeconomy touches all eco- icy in Germany. The aim of this policy is to create frame-
nomic sectors. To address the bioeconomy effectively, it is work conditions conducive to supporting the transition to a
necessary to link different policy areas in a manner that is bioeconomy and helping to defuse conflicts over competing
sensible and coherent. In addition to the research policy al- goals and uses.
ready outlined (chapter 3), this includes, for example, in-
dustry and energy policies, agriculture, forestry and fisher- Policy makers shape the implementation of the bioeconomy
ies policies, and climate, environment and nature protection by means of regulatory and support measures, and through
policies. The National Bioeconomy Strategy connects vari- communication and cooperation. The individual fields of
ous policy areas and illuminates a path for bioeconomy pol- action are designed to support the sustainable development
of the bioeconomy in Germany – defined in the SDGs and in er use of products and also the use of residues and waste ma-
the German Sustainability Strategy – and to make a contri- terials). To this end, the opportunities offered by digitisation
bution all along the supply chains in the bioeconomy (from should be exploited while cooperation at the internation-
the production of raw materials through the use, process- al level should be strengthened and support for training and
ing and marketing of biomass to the trade in and consum- teaching enhanced.
4.1 Reducing the pressure on land

The increase in the use of biogenic resources expeced to ly. Examples of this include the sustainable management of
occur as the global population grows, and the growing de- post-mining landscapes and of marginal yield sites in agri-
mand throughout the world for food of animal origin, culture. Inherent in this approach is the recognition of the
implies a greater use of land. In theory this can only be significance of fallow land and non-intensively used areas
achieved by expanding the production area, by intensify- in the context of environmental services and biodiversity.
ing use on existing production areas, or through a combi- Inner-city areas can also be used for agricultural or horti-
nation of both. The need for land can be lessened through cultural production (urban farming). Sustainable manage-
more effective redistribution of food, and reduced produc- ment may engender positive effects, such as the prevention
tion of animal-based food produce in combination with a of erosion and enhanced biodiversity.
low-meat diet. The pressure on land is exacerbated by the
need to conserve natural habitats and biodiversity and its In addition to putting sites occupied by past industries to
use for other purposes, including the expansion of settle- new industrial uses in the context of the bioeconomy, an-
ments and infrastructure, the mining of abiotic raw ma- other way to reduce pressure on the land is to increase the
terials (coal, sand, gravel, etc.), but also the creation of re- productivity of areas used for agriculture and forestry. This
newable energy systems. Even within biomass production must, however, go hand in hand with the conservation of
there are competing demands placed on the biomass pro- biodiversity and landscapes. An economically and ecologi-
duced in terms of the potential use and processing path- cally sustainable increase in productivity on a unit area ba-
ways. sis can be achieved through breeding and precision farm-
ing, thereby counteracting at the same time an increase in
The expected increase in land use competition emerging the demand for land area. Breeding can also contribute to
not just as a consequence of production necessities but also a diversification in agricultural crop production by provid-
due, for example, to the need to provide ecosystem servic- ing a wide range of species and varieties, and fostering re-
es (such as habitats and feeding areas for insects and small silient and ecological farming systems. This can in turn
game), poses a great challenge. At the same time, it repre- have a positive effect on agricultural biodiversity. The Fed-
sents an opportunity for improved and resource-saving eral Government will continue its activities in the field of
forms of land use (for example, paludiculture). The bioeco- plant breeding, targeting varieties that are more suitable
nomy policy relies on a combination of different approach- for specific locations and climates, more efficient in terms
es to defuse the competition over land use. These take in of nutrient and water use, and more resistant to and toler-
measures that serve to increase resource efficiency. Exam- ant of biotic and abiotic stresses. These activities will also
ples of this include implementing infrastructures and pro- address the further development of organic farming sys-
cesses for the separation and recovery of secondary mate- tems, including activities that will address adaptation to
rials, and adopting methods for coupled and cascade use climate change.
targeting an overall reduction in the use of raw materials.
The use of biogenic resources that require little or no space The measures taken by the Federal Government and the
(for example, waste and residues) can also lead to a signifi- governments of the individual German federal states to re-
cant reduction in the pressure on land. duce the area of land sealed for settlement and infrastruc-
tural purposes will also help to reduce the pressure on the
Another approach adopted by the Federal Government to natural resource soil.
reduce pressure on the land is the recultivation of degrad-
ed and unused areas, and of land that is used inefficient-
Resources of the bioeconomy
Plants
and soil Animals Microbes
Byproducts
Water CO2 and residues
Sustainable usage
Mechanical
Chemistry Textiles Food engineering
Pharma Construction Agriculture Energy
Automobile
industry Consumption
4.2 Sustainable production and supply

of biogenic raw materials
Agricultural land, forests and water ecosystems provide tion are continuously being adapted in line with environ-
the most important biogenic raw materials used within the mental requirements and the corresponding European le-
bioeconomy, materials supplemented by biogenic residues gal foundations.
and waste materials. To preserve these natural foundations
of life on Earth, resource use must take into account envi- Forestry is another pillar of the German bioeconomy. It
ronmental, climate and nature protection goals, while al- provides the greatest part of the biogenic raw materials
so considering socio-economic and sustainability targets. currently used in Germany. Forest plant breeding has an
This requires efforts that account for all factors within important role to play in adapting Germany’s forests to cli-
production systems and consideration of the location-spe- mate change and securing the supply of raw materials. An-
cific circumstances and sustainability aspects. One exam- other important aspect is the conversion of unstable stands
ple in this context is the preservation of healthy and fertile to climate-adapted mixed forests comprising tree species
soils. Another is increasing the efficient use of residues and appropriate to the site. The Federal Government’s aim is to
waste materials from agriculture and forestry, and from develop an enduring balance, adapted to future require-
industrial production and private households. ments, between the increasing demands placed on the
forests and their sustainability, because the objectives of
The EU’s Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) is an impor- sustainable forest management require economic perfor-
tant instrument in the shaping of sustainable agriculture. mance, ecological responsibility and social justice.
The ongoing reform of the CAP should aim to make Eu-
ropean agriculture more sustainable. However, the sus- To secure the long-term productivity of agriculture and
tainable supply of biogenic raw materials should also be forestry in Germany, the Federal Ministry of Food and Ag-
strengthened nationally, exceeding the framework of spe- riculture (BMEL), in cooperation with the federal states,
cific activities supported by EU subsidies. For example, or- has drawn up an agenda for the adaptation of agriculture,
ganic farming plays an important role in the sustainable forestry, fisheries and aquaculture to climate change. This
production of agricultural products for food. In order to agenda is to be integrated into the upcoming action plan
service the increasing demand for organic products more intended as part of the German Strategy for Adaptation
comprehensively, and to expand the range of income op- to Climate Change (Deutsche Anpassungsstrategie an den
portunities for agricultural businesses, the proportion of Klimawandel15 , DAS). The aim is to adjust agriculture, for-
the agricultural land dedicated to organic farming in Ger- estry, fisheries and aquaculture to the expected changes to
many is to increase to 20 % by the year 2030. the climate so as to reduce the risks facing businesses with-
out harming the environment.16 The future availability of
The sustainability of agriculture should be improved con- biogenic raw materials will, on the one hand, depend heav-
tinuously as part of national action plans and strategies. ily on the changes that climate change will bring about in
For example, the risks associated with the use of crop pro- terms of production conditions (amount and distribution
tection products in agriculture are to be reduced and an- of precipitation, average temperatures, extreme weather
imal welfare should be improved without impacting neg- conditions, etc.), but also on the ability of our agriculture
atively on the productivity of German agriculture. To and forestry to adapt to the new circumstances.
achieve this aim, the specifications for fertiliser applica-
4.3 Establishing and developing bioeconomy

supply chains and networks
The development of innovative bio-based products, pro- at enterprise level and in downstream logistics chains. This
cesses and services that have positive properties exceed- will help optimise the production, storage and initial pro-
ing those of fossil-based alternatives is a key driver of a cessing of renewable raw materials and so contribute to the
bio-based economy and should, therefore, continue to be more efficient use of biogenic resources. This can apply to
supported. In many cases, the development and establish- both the collection of secondary and residual materials as
ment of regional biogenic supply chains can be achieved well as the processing of raw materials sourced from agri-
through greater networking amongst established play- culture and forestry to higher-quality intermediate prod-
ers in individual supply chains. For this reason, support ucts suitable and viable for transport, while taking into ac-
for networking activities should also continue in future. count sustainability aspects.
In the past, this was done, for example, through the fund-
ing of bioeconomy clusters. The German Federal Govern- The improvements associated with optimisation can often
ment sees particular potential for innovative supply chains be further enhanced by linking individual supply chains
centred around the increased use of biogenic raw materials to value networks, creating positive synergy effects. Ap-
derived from aquatic systems such as algae, cyanobacteria plying the concept of resource efficiency and sustainabili-
and aquatic plants. The use of aquatic resources will be es- ty, a cascade and coupled use of resources should be strived
pecially strongly promoted in future in order to broaden for – wherever it is possible and reasonable to do so. To in-
the bioeconomy’s raw material base. crease resource efficiency, greater efforts should be made
to ensure a cascade use of resources, to maintain biogen-
In addition to promoting the establishment of new sup- ic raw materials in a circular material cycle for as long as
ply chains, existing bioeconomy supply chains must be op- is economically and technically possible. The use option
timised to reduce raw material consumption, protect the with the highest added value should be pursued initially,
environment and climate by reducing the use of non-re- and particular attention should be paid to the development
newable raw materials, and improve their overall econom- of new, economically attractive byproducts that are suita-
ic competitiveness. The Federal Government will support ble for coupled use. The principles of the German Circular
the technological development of existing production pro- Economy Act (Kreislaufwirtschaftsgesetz) governing the
cesses and the testing of innovative processes. Organisa- conservation of natural resources and the environmentally
tional and technical concepts are to be further developed compatible management of waste must also be adhered to.
4.4 Market introduction and establishment

of bio-based products, processes
and services
Bio-based products often have advantages over their fos- products is occasionally so great that they will pay higher
sil-based counterparts in relation to climate, the environ- market prices, the initial demand for bio-based product al-
ment, resource efficiency and sustainability. Nevertheless, ternatives is frequently not sufficiently high for their pro-
the introduction and establishment of innovative bioeco- duction to be economically viable.
nomy products and processes on the market represents a
major challenge as they must compete with products that Through the inclusion of various actors in bio-based sup-
are already familiar to users and benefit from established ply chains, and through exchange with these stakeholders
marketing channels, recognition and infrastructure. Al- within the framework of tried and tested dialogue process-
though the willingness of consumers to buy bio-based es such as technical discussions, workshops, platforms and
conferences, measures to promote the increased use of cer- Other important components that support the market es-
tain biogenic raw materials can be developed and imple- tablishment of bio-based products are information and
mented. One example of this is the ‘Charter for Wood 2.0’17 the raising of consumer awareness of the specific advan-
initiated by the BMEL. This approach operates on the ba- tages and disadvantages of these products. Product labels
sis of the motto ‘Protect the climate. Create value. Use re- and, where applicable, certification labels create transpar-
sources efficiently’ and follows a holistic approach aimed ency and strengthen trust in bio-based products. Selecting
at increasing the use of wood derived from sustainable for- and publicising good examples of sustainable uses of bio-
est management. As a milestone in the 2050 climate pro- based raw materials as beacons help to raise public aware-
tection plan, the Charter for Wood includes aspects of val- ness of these issues and create additional incentives for the
ue creation and resource efficiency as issues closely related use of renewable raw materials. The Federal Government
to climate protection. will continue to hold competitions such as ‘HolzbauPlus’,
as part of which the BMEL awards prizes to particularly
sustainable buildings made with a holistic choice of mate-
rials and also to projects involving wood used in conjunc-
tion with other renewable raw materials in construction,
insulation and finishing.
Public procurement is another important tool that can be

wielded to support the establishment of bio-based prod-
ucts. Public procurement is estimated to be at least € 300
billion a year. A stronger focus of public procurement on
bio-based, sustainable products can support the establish-
ment of such products from the demand side. The mar-
ket power and role model function of the public sector can
serve as market openers for new products and services.
The ‘German Innovation Partnership’ (Deutsche Innovation-

spartnerschaft, DIP), implemented with funds issued by the
BMEL and the Landwirtschaftliche Rentenbank, is yet anoth-
er example of how product developments can be successfully
brought to market maturity.
4.5 Using the potential inherent in the bioeco-

nomy for the development of rural areas
Most of the biomass in Germany is produced and processed over long distances to be processed, often centrally in large
in rural areas, and used as food or feed or for material or en- plants. Among other issues this results in transport-related
ergy purposes. Rural areas play a central role in the bioeco- CO2 emissions. As part of the expansion of the bioeconomy,
nomy. The expansion of the bioeconomy in Germany holds the development of regional bioeconomy concepts involving
great potential in terms of value creation, jobs and the quali- local actors and regional administrations will be support-
ty of life in rural areas. ed. One focus shall be on the local processing of biogenic raw
materials to higher-quality materials suitable for subsequent
The potential inherent in the bioeconomy differs from re- processing stages. This can help create employment and add-
gion to region depending on the existing infrastructure, the ed value in rural areas, while also reducing transport. Sup-
raw materials available and the skills possessed by the lo- porting regional forms of product marketing adapted to local
cal stakeholders. Up until now the processing of biogen- conditions can also generate regional added value.
ic resources, and the associated creation of value, has often
occurred at a remove from where the resources have actu- The availability of qualified employees, modern infrastruc-
ally been produced. In some cases biomass is transported ture and local amenities are the foundation stones for inno-
Agricultural land in Germany in 2017

2 % Industrial plants 2 % Fallow and set-aside land
14 % Energy plants
Agricultural land relative

to total area
22 % Food 16.7 million ha (47%) 60 % Feed
Source: FNR according to Federal Office of Statistics, BMEL (2017)
vative processes in relation to production and services, and analysis will be carried out to identify regions with previous-
are often central to the emergence of new business ideas in ly untapped potential for the development of bioeconomy
the bioeconomy. The German Federal Government is work- supply chains. The results of the study should serve as the
ing together with the federal states and local umbrella or- basis for the identification of region-specific measures and
ganisations in the ‘Equal Living Conditions’ (Gleichwertige ultimately lead to the development of regional bioeconomy
Lebensverhältnisse) commission to address these issues. An strategies.
4.6 Exploiting digitisation for the bioeconomy

The high potential for innovation associated with great- example, in green professions, to improve animal welfare,
er implementation of digitisation along entire bioecon- protect the environment and biodiversity, and to achieve
omy supply chains will lead to opportunities for process sustainable development. Digital technologies can al-
optimisation. Connecting the bioeconomy with the ongo- so serve to improve animal protection, to make work easi-
ing process of digitisation also creates scope for innovative er for individuals and to analyse which types of innovative
business models. This applies to all areas of production. For business models are sustainable in a particular context.
example, the use of digital innovations in agriculture and This should be developed upon in the context, for example,
forestry can lead to large savings in relation to resources of digital experimental fields on agricultural holdings. The
such as soil, crop protection products, fertilisers and ener- planned competence network for the coordination of this
gy. The resultant reductions in costs and increases in effi- activity is an important first step.
ciency render primary production more competitive and
environmentally friendly. There is great potential for gains Information provided digitally concerning sustainable
to be achieved through the use of sensor technology, big production methods can also help raise consumer aware-
data, fast data connections and of robotics in the produc- ness of sustainable products and thus influence purchas-
tion and processing of biogenic raw materials and in the ing decisions. The basis for the greater implementation of
context of precision agriculture. It is important to explore digital solutions is the clarification of open questions in re-
how we can make optimal use of digital technologies, for lation to data interfaces, open data, standardisation, com-
patibility and data platforms, and legal security. It is also determine how this problem might be solved. These ques-
necessary to clarify the extent to which the additional en- tions should be investigated and solved in pilot projects, es-
ergy demand associated with greater digitisation reduces pecially in rural areas.
or even negates any efficiency gains (rebound effect) and to
4.7 Policy coherence

The framework conditions for the transition to a bioecon- The Federal Government has also identified the need for an
omy are strongly influenced by specific policies at regional, advisory body comprising broad expertise across all dimen-
national and international levels. These vary considerably, sions of the bioeconomy and which combines different per-
which often hinders the marketing of otherwise viable bio- spectives (see also section 5.1). Synergies should be identified
based products, and may even lead to a raw material-specific and used to ensure the coherence of policy decisions made
competitive disadvantage. In the case particularly of inno- across different administrative levels. The exchange between
vative bio-based products and processes with the potential stakeholders at various administrative levels (EU, federal,
to replace conventional processes, often the product-specif- state) should be strengthened, and also with stakeholders and
ic advantages or disadvantages are not taken into account experts from individual sectors of the bioeconomy and rep-
in existing regulations because these were previously either resentatives of environmental and nature conservation. As
not relevant or not known. part of this exchange, an analysis should take place to deter-
mine, for example, whether the market launch of innovative
In addition to regional differences in regulations pertain- bio-based solutions is hampered by regulatory restrictions
ing to the cultivation and processing of biogenic raw ma- and whether any discrimination against bio-based products
terials, and the circulation, consumption and use of bio- or processes might be remedied by regulatory and technical
based products for various applications, the requirements adjustments. The biomass flows and the various uses should
for the approval and to ensure the sustainability of innova- also be evaluated and prioritised.
tive bio-based products also vary depending on the region
and the use pathway. Ensuring a coherent political frame-
work for the transition to a more bio-based economy re-
quires the closer integration of policies and strategies, par-
ticularly those applying to the areas in which bio-based
materials are produced or processed. This includes agricul-
ture, forestry and fisheries policies, as well as regulations in
the areas of environment, construction, energy, biodiversi-
ty, waste management, resource efficiency and sustainable
finance. Within the Federal Government activities in this
regard will continue in the interministerial working group
on the bioeconomy (Interministeriellen Arbeitsgruppe zur
Bioökonomie, IMAG). The various activities undertaken by
the Federal Government to implement the new National
Bioeconomy Strategy will be coordinated by IMAG.
5
Overarching instruments
OVERARCHING INSTRUMENTS 49
As part of the implementation of the

National Bioeconomy Strategy the
Federal Government plans a variety of
activities in addition to the measures
undertaken to promote research and to
improve the framework conditions for
the bioeconomy.
5.1. Establishment of an advisory body with

broad participation of society
A new body comprising extensive expertise in all dimen- tion to the achievement of the sustainability goals linked
sions of the bioeconomy will advise the Federal Govern- to the bioeconomy. Another task of the advisory body will
ment as a successor to the German Bioeconomy Council, be to develop proposals and recommendations for the plan
which sat for two periods between 2009–2012 and 2012– for the implementation of the National Bioeconomy Strat-
2019. The advisory board should cover as many perspec- egy. This plan shall be drafted in a participatory process,
tives on the bioeconomy as possible, and include experts and will be updated throughout the term of the strategy.
from science and industry, as well as representatives of the- The implementation plan should contain recommenda-
matically relevant civil society organisations. Its duties in- tions for specific policy measures, taking current develop-
clude making recommendations, preparing position papers ments into account. The Federal Government will consider
and promoting public debates on the bioeconomy. With the positions put forward by the board and, based on these
the broad participation of civil society, the body should pay positions, initiate measures to achieve the goals of the Na-
particular attention to any conflicts that may arise in rela- tional Bioeconomy Strategy.
Countries with bioeconomy-related

policy activities*
GL
IS
CA
US
MX
CR
C0
BR
PY
*All countries that address the bioeconomy in policy
programmes are indicated in colour on the map, whether UY
AR
addressed in a dedicated bioeconomy strategy or as part of an
overarching measure (refer to page 64 for country codes).
5.2 Cooperation between the Federal

Government and the federal states
The Federal Government welcomes the fact that independ- networks. Examples of successful initiatives are the many
ent bioeconomy strategies have been developed at the fed- clusters, competence centres and model regions that have
eral state level. These strategies address the specific chal- been set up on the theme of bioeconomy. The Federal Gov-
lenges on the ground and seek to exploit the opportunities ernment will establish a working group with the state gov-
offered by the bioeconomy for both rural and urban are- ernments to coordinate these and other measures so that
as. It is important that all levels of administration interact the development of the bioeconomy in Germany proceeds
with each other. as efficiently as possible.
The National Bioeconomy Strategy benefits from the ef-

forts made by the federal states to develop their own strat-
egies, launch funding initiatives, develop region-specific
profiles of the bioeconomy, and build clusters and regional
SE SE RU RU
FO
FI FI
NO NO
LV LV
DK LT DK LT
B NL IE GB NL
BE DE BE DE
AT AT
FR FR
IT PT ES IT JP JP
CN KR CN KR
IN IN
L ML
TH TH
SN
NG NG LK LK
MY MY
UG UG
KE KE
ID ID
TZ TZ
MZ MZ
MU MU
NA NA AU AU
ZA ZA
NZ NZ
5.3 European and international cooperation

The bioeconomy is growing in importance worldwide. other international partners – will be further expanded
More than fifty countries had launched their own bioeco- and intensified as part of the implementation of this strate-
nomy strategies at the time of publication of this new Ger- gy. The German Federal Government will promote the dis-
man National Bioeconomy Strategy. A broad portfolio of course on the bioeconomy and the associated conflicts in
approaches and concepts has emerged that reflect region- an international context in order to better network with
al and national peculiarities. Various bioeconomies differ stakeholders, to exchange knowledge about measures and
on the basis of the prevailing climate and geographic con- strategies, and to advance the establishment of a sustaina-
ditions, and the specific biological diversity. There are al- ble bioeconomy with strategically important partners. To
so specific focal points in the research and industrial land- this end, bilateral contacts, cooperation and engagement in
scape, which means new development opportunities and multilateral processes and committees will be intensified.
options for specialisation within individual regions. It is
only through the interaction between these regions that Cooperation on the bioeconomy at the European level will
the system as a whole can function efficiently. be continued and strengthened. Many EU Member States
and the European Commission are striving to support the
International cooperation is essential for the success of a bioeconomy through the pursuit of dedicated strategies.
sustainable bioeconomy. The first steps towards greater in- The German Federal Government will actively promote
ternational exchange have already been taken, and in re- exchange on the bioeconomy between the EU Member
cent years the German Federal Government has been in- States and the European Commission, and will support and
strumental in enhancing this cooperation. International steer joint activities. The German Federal Government will
cooperation – both within the European Union and with actively support the development of the bioeconomy at the
Bioeconomy is the theme of the German Science Year 2020/21. To kick off the Green Week in Berlin the BMBF showcased a range of
bio-based products.
EU level through a constructive dialogue with the relevant tion in future international processes so as to improve the
partners. The central pillar of this dialogue is the exchange international harmonisation of the measures and strate-
with EU countries in appropriate working groups. The ex- gies needed to promote a sustainable bioeconomy, to re-
change of experiences between the Member States will also solve the associated conflicts between goals and to clarify
be pursued through a series of informal talks focusing on the opportunities in terms of climate, environmental and
national bioeconomy policy measures. resource protection. Examples of this are the G20 and G7
formats, as well as the annual Conference of the Parties to
International cooperation beyond Europe will seek to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP
achieve the best possible linking and enhancement of var- conferences). The international exchange will also address
ious individual approaches to establish the bioeconomy. how the bioeconomy’s raw material base can be produced
Bilateral relationships will be used to make progress to- and made accessible in a way that is sustainable. Coopera-
wards the establishment of a global bioeconomy in mul- tion with the United Nations’ Food and Agriculture Organ-
tilateral formats. The German Federal Government will ization (FAO) will also be intensified.
work to ensure that the bioeconomy receives greater atten-
5.4 Communication und dialogue

Demographic change and global economic growth are tion to make, as do civil science research projects. A good
leading to an increase in the demand for the limited land information base is vital to create the conditions required
and biomass available. Human activities have an impact for an informed public discussion about the bioeconomy.
on the environment, nature and biodiversity, and the con-
trasting implications inherent in the different activities Late in 2018 the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and
must be examined. The world population needs healthy Energy initiated a dialogue platform called ‘Industrial Bi-
and safe food, energy and materials, jobs, housing, and in- oeconomy’ (Dialogplattform ‘Industrielle Bioökonomie’)
frastructure for mobility. Through their decisions, con- with representatives of industry, associations, science and
sumers exert an influence over how these needs are met, society. The obstacles and problems encountered in con-
which foods are consumed, which forms of energy are used verting the economy to a sustainable bio-based econo-
in households, and which products are bought. Society can, my were discussed in order to develop joint solutions. The
therefore, contribute to driving the bioeconomy forward. open dialogue between the public, science and government
about the design of the bioeconomy must be continued and
As an overall concept, the bioeconomy remains largely un- intensified. As with all processes of profound change, it is
known to the German public. Individual elements of the important that impulses and concerns be addressed at an
bioeconomy such as the digitisation of agriculture, modern early stage and that appropriate public debate is supported.
breeding methods and certain fields of application for syn- The German Federal Government employs various trans-
thetic biology have been met with reservations. Other ele- parent dialogue and participation formats to involve civ-
ments, however, such as the production of active medical il society groups. It is important to exchange ideas with all
ingredients and the substitution of chemicals harmful to interested groups in society – both with the pioneers and
health and the environment with harmless biological sub- advocates of the bioeconomy and with those who are crit-
stances, have been positively received. ical of various aspects of the bioeconomy. The aim of this
dialogue is to identify undesirable developments early on
It is important to take into consideration societal require- and to take timely countermeasures wherever they are re-
ments and society’s expectations in relation to the devel- quired.
opment of the bioeconomy. It is also necessary early on in
the process to facilitate discussion and to evaluate impor-
tant issues for the future and potential risks and trade-
offs, and to involve all of the stakeholders. Research must
be open and transparent. The results of government-fund-
ed research should be made available to the public, free of The infoportal for bioeconomy in Germany:
charge wherever possible. Educational institutions such as biooekonomie.de
museums and botanical gardens have a valuable contribu-
5.5 Qualifications and skilled personnel

The bioeconomy extends across all economic sectors and cations are extremely important for specialists and man-
encompasses numerous scientific disciplines. Linking dif- agers in the agricultural sector. The successful develop-
ferent fields and areas of knowledge creates new opportu- ment and implementation of the bioeconomy requires the
nities, but also new requirements in terms of professional integration of various research disciplines. There are al-
qualifications. Specialists with interdisciplinary expertise ready a number of good examples of this. As part of the Na-
at the interfaces between sustainability, production pro- tional Bioeconomy Strategy, additional models of cooper-
cesses, markets and consumption are needed. They are the ation shall be developed and implemented to promote the
prerequisite for innovation and growth, and will make an stronger networking of research institutions and industry.
essential contribution to the sustainable bioeconomy in This will facilitate the transfer of knowledge into practice
Germany. and the development of interdisciplinary career profiles.
UNESCO’s Education for Sustainable Development (ESD)
With its research funding for the bioeconomy, the Federal initiative plays an important role. It attributes ‘high quali-
Government has promoted the development of knowledge ty education’ (SDG 4) a key function in the implementation
and interdisciplinary networking in science. In over 2,000 of the remaining sixteen Sustainable Development Goals.
research projects funded under the National Research Through education for sustainable development, people
Strategy ‘Bioeconomy 2030’ since 2013, many young sci- acquire the skills and capacities needed to shape and pro-
entists have been able to acquire valuable qualifications. In mote sustainable development in our society. In order to
addition to project funding, new training and further edu- anchor education for sustainable development structurally
cation programmes, and courses at vocational and techni- in all areas of education, the ‘National Action Plan for Ed-
cal schools, technical colleges and universities should also ucation for Sustainable Development’ (Nationale Aktions-
offer targeted content dealing with the bioeconomy. Sim- plan Bildung für nachhaltige Entwicklung) was adopted by
ilarly, converging technologies should also be integrated the National Platform for Education for Sustainable Devel-
within a revised bioeconomy education. opment (Nationale Plattform Bildung für nachhaltige En-
twicklung) in 201718 . The measures for vocational train-
A particular focus should be placed on the use of digital ing for sustainable development take into account aspects
technologies in breeding and in agriculture and forestry. of the bioeconomy both in the training and in the contin-
Training, continuing education and advisory services for uing education of the educational staff and the operation-
sustainable production, new technologies and digital appli- al management.
5.6 Bioeconomy monitoring

The guidelines and goals of this strategy demonstrate that volved. To this end, the German Federal Government ini-
the bioeconomy is committed to the overarching goals of tiated a comprehensive monitoring programme for the bi-
sustainable development and climate protection, as well as oeconomy in 2016. Monitoring is a central tool to evaluate
to sustainable value creation in industry, to the strength- the impact of the strategy, but it is also intended to map the
ening of rural areas and to the conservation of biologi- development of the bioeconomy as a whole and to provide
cal diversity. To achieve these goals, it is important that reliable knowledge for practical purposes. The work being
we take the right path. Observing, measuring and evalu- carried out in the ongoing pilot phase of the programme
ating the process of transformation towards a sustainable, will be continued in order to track trends in the develop-
bio-based and natural cycle-oriented economy are an im- ment of the bioeconomy over longer periods and to better
portant prerequisite in ensuring that we do not achieve in- understand dependencies and impacts. The corresponding
dividual goals at the expense of others. They are also nec- indicator system will be assessed for its relevance and fur-
essary to make certain that we set priorities correctly. This ther developed in cooperation with experts from all are-
requires reliable data, comprehensive balance sheets and as of society.
meaningful indicators that can provide guidance for all in-
Goals and dimensions of the bioeconomy
social environmental
sustainability sustainability
contribution
education
to climate
working and training preservation/
protection
conditions improvement
of air quality
food security
social
integration preservation of
soil fertility and
function
sustainable
consumption
workers‘ rights
Development land
of rural degradation preservation
areas neutrality and strengthe-
sustainable ning of
cooperative production biodiversity
focus
preservation
of the water
sustainable balance and
legal certainty infrastructures quality
employment added value
competitiveness innovation
economic
sustainability
Source: SYMOBIO project, Egenolf; Bringezu 2019, own depiction19

Conclusion and outlook

With the new National Bioeconomy Strategy, the Feder- Active support for the development of a sustainable bioec-
al Government is setting out the direction German policy onomy requires measures that go beyond just research and
will take over the coming years. The way taken must be to- development. Research and innovation must be reflect-
wards economically, ecologically and socially sustainable de- ed in new production processes and marketable products.
velopment. The bioeconomy will play an important role in It is not only down to policy makers and scientists, but
this. Given that Germany is as an economically and financial- companies and consumers are also key players in this pro-
ly strong country, it has a special responsibility to tackle the cess. Without their willingness to develop and take up new
upcoming transformation process and to do so with determi- bio-based products, the transition to the bioeconomy can-
nation. This gives us the opportunity to play a pioneering role not succeed. The German Federal Government will con-
in the development of technological and social innovations in tinue working on specialist communication to make the
the sustainable world of tomorrow. achievements of the bioeconomy more tangible to the pub-
lic. The dialogue between citizens, science, business and
policy about the design of the bioeconomy – the opportu-
The German Federal Government will ensure that its nities and benefits, but also the possible risks and problems
funding for bioeconomy research will accommodate re- – will remain open and be further intensified. The German
search and development projects that are open to any and Federal Government wants to expand international coop-
all technologies and that they follow an interdisciplinary eration focusing on bioeconomy-related topics. Given the
approach. This will provide a better understanding of the nature of global markets and trade relationships, the set-
diverse interactions between biological systems, bioecon- up and establishment of a sustainable bioeconomy can on-
omy process chains and their effects on the environment, ly succeed in an international context.
nature and the landscape, and with climate and health.
This will make it easier to provide evidence-based recom- All of the measures that the German Federal Government
mendations for action. This research will include vari- will take in the coming years in the various fields of the
ous scientific disciplines and a number of key technologies bioeconomy – research, agriculture, forestry, fisheries,
from biotechnology, nanotechnology, digitisation, auto- aquaculture, environment, climate, industry – will be eval-
mation, sensors, robotics and artificial intelligence. Basic uated for their effectiveness. Due to the dynamic devel-
research and experimental development projects will be opments in the bioeconomy, it is necessary to constantly
funded, as will application-oriented projects. review the strategy and, where necessary, to develop it fur-
ther by updating the implementation plan.
SCHLUSSBETRACHTUNG UND AUSBLICK 57
Glossary
abiotic | referring to the inanimate in nature; processes, bio-based | generated or processed based on the use of bio-
substances or environmental factors in which living beings mass and/or using biotechnological processes
are not directly involved, e.g., water, light, rock and metals
biogenic raw materials | based on biomass. Biogenic raw
agroecology, agroecological | scientific branch of ecology materials or resources refer to any type of biomass, i.e., re-
that understands agricultural production as a part of eco- newable raw materials specifically cultivated and any oth-
systems (e.g., with regard to ecosystem services, soil fer- er type of biomass, including biotic residues and waste ma-
tility, biodiversity) and that deals with the relationship terials.
between cultivation systems, nature and resource con-
servation. The Food and Agriculture Organization of the biological | referring to life, living things, organic prod-
United Nations (FAO) also perceives agroecology as being a ucts and knowledge about them
practical concept for the transformation of agriculture in
low-income countries, combining traditional smallhold- biomass | in a narrow sense, the organic substance formed
er farming methods and local knowledge with knowledge by photosynthesis; in a broader sense, the amount of sub-
and methods from modern science. The aim is to secure an stance of all plant and animal life and their organic prod-
income for smallholder farms based on local cycles while ucts. Also referring to residues and waste materials such
largely avoiding external inputs (synthetic fertilisers, pes- as organic waste from households, from animal produc-
ticides). tion, and from food and feed production. Fossil raw mate-
rials also originated from biomass at one point; however,
agricultural production | production of biomass for the the bioeconomy is based exclusively on the use of non-fos-
provision of food, for material or energy use, or for indus- sil biomass.
trial processing into other products. In addition to crops
and livestock, insects, algae and other forms of marine life biopharmaceuticals | drugs manufactured using biotech-
are becoming increasingly important in modern agricul- nology methods, e.g., hormones, nucleic acids and antibod-
tural production. ies
agricultural system | all factors related to agricultural pro- biopolymers | basic building blocks of living organisms
duction – biotic and abiotic resources, cultivation and har- that are made up of several basic units. Examples of biopol-
vesting methods, use of technology and energy, environ- ymers are proteins, nucleic acids (DNA and RNA, multiple
mental conditions, demands on ecosystem services, etc. sugars (polysaccharides)). The term also describes technical
– including all upstream and downstream economic sec- polymers that have been produced in a bio-based manner
tors and/or are biodegradable (e.g., bioplastics).
artificial production systems | production systems that biorefinery | refinery based on biomass. A biorefinery is
mimic biological principles to produce desired products. In characterised by an integrative, multifunctional overall
contrast to classical biotechnological processes, no micro- concept that uses biomass as a diverse source of raw mate-
organisms are used as production units, or at most only in- rials for the sustainable production of a range of different
dividual components thereof intermediate and end products (chemicals, materials, bio-
energy including biofuels) using all raw material compo-
big data | large, unstructured or only poorly structured nents as fully as possible.
quantities of data that are too complex, too heterogeneous
or change too quickly to allow for evaluation using con- biosphere | also biogeosphere; denotes the living space of a
ventional data processing methods. Big data technologies planet, above and below its surface, i.e., in the atmosphere,
are methods used to extract information from such data in the ground and under water. The Earth is the only plan-
using algorithms or artificial intelligence. Large amounts et currently known to possess a biosphere. The sphere of
of digital data accrue in, e.g., the sequencing of the genetic the Earth with proven life ranges from about 5 km below
makeup of organisms. to about 60 km above the planet’s surface.
GLOSSARY 59
biotechnology | interdisciplinary and application-oriented A typical example relates to the discussion of the term sus-
science at the interface of biology, medicine, chemistry and tainability, which encompasses ecological, economic and
engineering. Biotechnology uses organisms, cells or bio- social goals equally. Research funding in the context of the
molecules in technical applications to manufacture prod- bioeconomy is geared towards precisely analysing conflict-
ucts for different industries or to develop new technologies. ing goals and defusing them through intelligent strategies
and innovative production methods.
biotic | of living things
coupled use | use of one or more byproducts to achieve the
cascade use | repeated use of biomass over several stages in sustainable and most effective use of raw materials while
order to maintain raw materials, or the products made from increasing added value. Examples of paired use are the use
these materials, in the economic system for as long as possi- of the byproduct glycerine in biodiesel production or the
ble. Generally a cascade use includes multiple uses of a ma- use of the byproduct bagasse in bioethanol production.
terial with a declining added value with each generation
and a final use of the material for energy or as compost. ecology, ecological | a branch of biology that focuses on
the interactions between living organisms and their envi-
cell-free production processes | cell-free production pro- ronment. Colloquially the term ‘ecological’ often refers to
cesses represent an alternative to the production of biolog- the commitment to a gentle treatment by humans of their
ical components such as enzymes that cannot be produced natural environment.
by living cells (e.g., microorganisms) or only very poorly.
Examples are cell-free protein biosynthesis and cell-free bi- ecosystem services | all material and non-material servic-
ocatalytic systems. es of nature from which humans benefit. Ecosystem ser-
vices include biodiversity, climate regulation, healthy soils
circular use | processed resources and goods are repro- and clean water.
cessed using modern recycling methods and put to a new
use. In order to achieve the highest possible degree of re- epigenomics | study of all epigenetic modifications to the
use, the ideal exploitation of the cycle should be taken into genetic material of a cell and their systematic analysis us-
account in the early product design. ing the latest molecular biological techniques
converging technologies | the term refers to the conver- epigenome | sum of the chemical changes to the DNA of
gence of different technologies or areas of technology and an organism through which the activity of genes is dy-
knowledge. Cross-cutting technologies such as nano-, bio- namically influenced depending on environmental condi-
and information technologies and sciences, and cognitive tions. The epigenome is involved in, e.g., the development
sciences, are often involved. Broader concepts addressed of cells and tissues. Epigenetic changes do not affect the
in this strategy include a significantly larger number of DNA sequence, but can be passed on to offspring.
sciences and technologies.
future technologies | novel technologies that have a high
conflicting goals | conflicting goals arise when two or potential for innovation, but are currently still at the level
more legitimate goals are pursued, the simultaneous ful- of basic or applied research
filment of which is mutually exclusive, or the pursuit of
which leads to contrary effects. In some cases, conflict- genome editing | collective term for molecular biological
ing goals can be resolved through a hierarchy that priori- tools (e.g., CRISPR / Cas) with which DNA in the genome of
tises the competing goals. The bioeconomy recognises the organisms can be edited, i.e., copied, moved or removed
primacy of food security over the industrial use of agricul-
tural products. In many cases, creating a hierarchy of pri- genomics | genomics analyses the set of chromosomes that
orities – e.g., between increasing agricultural yields and is the entirety of DNA, a cell or an organism
protecting biological diversity – is simply not possible be-
cause all goals are equally legitimate or even indispensable.
innovation, incremental and disruptive | incremental in- plant phenotyping | phenotyping is a part of plant re-
novations are understood as the process of constantly op- search that quantitatively analyses and measures the ap-
timising a technology, e.g., increasing the output and re- pearance of plants. This should make it possible to assign
ducing the consumption of internal combustion engines. certain traits to plant genes.
Disruptive innovations replace one technology with an-
other, sometimes with consequences for entire sectors or planetary boundaries | ecological limits that result from
supply chains. It is difficult to predict when a technical in- the fact that the natural habitats and resources on Earth
vention will become a disruptive innovation. Disruptive are finite and require certain periods of time to regenerate.
innovations are sometimes referred to as leap innovations. The boundaries and where exactly they run is still the sub-
ject of intensive discussion. However, it is undisputed that
metabolic engineering | targeted molecular-biological humankind, and its economic activities, is increasingly en-
changes in the metabolism of organisms with the aim of dangering the limits of the Earth and with them its own
increasing the production rate of desired compounds or livelihood.
preventing the formation of unwanted byproducts
platform organism | microorganism that has been opti-
metabolomics | research branch that examines the entire mised for use in biotechnological processes using molecu-
metabolism including the intermediates in cells and or- lar biological methods. Platform organisms are also char-
ganisms acterised by the fact that the corresponding industrial
bioprocesses are established and the organisms can be used
microbial production | use of microorganisms for biotech- to manufacture various products.
nological production
production organisms | generic term for organisms such as
microbiome | the microbiome encompasses all the micro- useful plants, insects, algae, fungi or microorganisms that
organisms on Earth. Microbiomes are also often discussed are used to produce biomass or specific ingredients
in the context of individual organs, organisms or ecosys-
tems. In the narrower sense, it refers to all microorganisms proteomics | different methods to analyse the complete
that colonise humans or other living things. proteome of a cell, tissue or organism at a specific point in
time. In contrast to genomics, proteomics records the actu-
modular bioprocess concepts | concepts for the develop- al amounts of all proteins.
ment of new processes for biotechnological production.
These concepts provide for bioprocesses to be broken down renewable raw materials | raw materials derived from ag-
into individual process steps (modules) which, depending riculture and forestry that are used for material or ener-
on the objective and the general conditions, can be com- gy use
bined quickly and flexibly into different production routes.
sustainability | sustainability became a key political term
omics technologies | omics technologies are in the 1987 Brundtland Report for the United Nations. It
high-throughput methods with which, e.g., the entirety describes the goal of satisfying the needs of current gener-
of genes (genomics), RNA (transcriptomics), intermediate ations without taking away the opportunity of future gen-
products of metabolism, metabolites (metabolomics), pro- erations to meet their needs as they see fit. Sustainability
teins (proteomics) or lipids (lipidomics) of a biological sys- has three pillars: economic, ecological and social sustain-
tem are counted. The high-resolution molecular profiles of ability. There are ongoing debates about, in particular, the
biological systems allow for new insights into the course of compatibility of economic and ecological sustainability.
molecular biological processes.
smart farming | smart farming describes the use of mod-
organic | of the living part of nature ern information and communication technologies (ICT) in
agriculture to achieve a more precise and resource-efficient
and thus more productive and sustainable agriculture
GLOSSARY 61
smart and high-tech | includes technologies and methods systems biology | systems biology aims to gain a compre-
that correspond to the latest technical and scientific stand- hensive understanding of the dynamic interactions be-
ards and that are considered to be progressive and intelli- tween the components of a biological system. The aim is
gent to understand and predict the behaviour of the system as a
whole. For this, mathematical concepts are applied to bio-
sufficiency | concept of an economy that provides that logical systems.
which is necessary in sufficient measure while using as lit-
tle energy and raw materials as possible. Sufficiency is, systemic | looking at systems in their entirety and their
therefore, an alternative to growth-oriented economic interactions with one another, from the fundamental mo-
models and an extension of the goal of using raw materi- lecular principles to the complex interplay in ecosystems
als as efficiently as possible. Sufficiency cannot be achieved
through technological advances, but requires a fundamen- supply chain | a supply chain (also: value chain) encom-
tal change in consumption patterns. passes all stages (institutions, people, facilities) of the
transformation process that a good goes through from raw
synthetic biology | in a narrow sense, the term encompass- material to end product
es the redesign and construction of novel biological com-
ponents, cells, organisms or even cell-free biological or bi- value network | networks linking supply chains, at the
ochemical systems (e.g., synthetic genomes, minimal cells, nodes of which institutions, people or production process-
use of non-natural amino acids); in a broader sense, molec- es are connected with one another via mutual material and
ular biological approaches to redesign known organisms. information flows. Approaches related in particular to cou-
Increasingly using computer-aided design and modelling pled and cascade use contribute to innovative parts of the
processes, these approaches go beyond the classic genetic bioeconomy growing together with other established sec-
engineering processes. tors to create value networks.
Endnotes
1 Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF) Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conserva-
(2010): National Research Strategy Bioeconomy 2030: tion and Nuclear Safety (BMU) (2019): Climate Action Pro-
Our Route towards a biobased economy. Berlin. Availa- gramme 2030 of the Federal Government to implement
ble online http://biotech2030.ru/wp-content/uploads/ the Climate Action Plan 2050, available online at https://
docs/int/bioeconomy_2030_germany.pdf www.bmu.de/fileadmin/Daten_BMU/Download_PDF/Kli-
maschutz/klimaschutzprogramm_2030_umsetzung_kli-
2 Federal Ministry of Food and Agriculture (BMEL) (2014): maschutzplan.pdf.
National Policy Strategy on Bioeconomy. Renewa-
ble resources and biotechnological processes as a ba- 8 Federal Ministry fort he Environment, Nature Conser-
sis for food, industry and energy. Resolution of the vation and Nuclear Safety (BMUB) (2016): German Re-
Federal Cabinet of 17.7.2013. http://www.bioways.eu/ source Efficiency Programme II Programme for the
download.php?f=62&l=en&key=c21c2ea7e095424f- Sustainable Use and Protection of Natural Resourc-
3545c66da7b98821 es. Available online at: https://www.bmu.de/filead-
min/Daten_BMU/Pools/Broschueren/progress_ii_bro-
3 Federal Ministry of Food and Agriculture (BMEL) (2016): schuere_bf.pdf
Progress Report on the National Policy Strategy Bioeco-
nomy. Available online at https://www.bmel.de/Shared- 9 Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF)
Docs/Downloads/DE/Broschueren/Fortschrittsberi- (2016): Research for Sustainable Development. Available
cht-Biooekonomie.pdf?__blob=publicationFile&v=2 online at: https://www.fona.de/medien/pdf/bmbf_fo-
na3_2016_englisch_barrierefrei.pdf
4 Fraunhofer ISI (2017): Evaluation of the National Re-
search Strategy Bioeconomy 2030. Final report. Fraun- 10 Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conser-
hofer Institute for Systems and Innovation Research ISI. vation and Nuclear Safety (BMUB) (2007): German Na-
Karlsruhe. Available online at http://publica.fraunhofer. tional Strategy on Biodiversity. Cabinet decision of 7
de/documents/N-445498.html November 2007. Berlin. Available online at https://www.
bfn.de/fileadmin/ABS/documents/Biodiversitaetsstrag-
5 Bioökonomierat (BÖR) (2018): Theses on the shap- ie_englisch.pdf
ing of the bioeconomy policy 2018, available online
at https://biooekonomierat.de/index.php%3FeID=tx_ 11 The Federal Government (2018): Research and inno-
nawsecuredl&u=0&g=0&t=1583334903&hash=bd- vation that benefit the people The High-Tech Strategy
7f766782900c4612803528f1ff5e20fdedd50d&file=filead- 2025. Published by Federal Ministry of Education and
min%252Fdocuments%252FTheses_on_BE.pdf Research (BMBF) https://www.bmbf.de/upload_file-
Further comments can be found at: https://biooekono- store/pub/Research_and_innovation_that_benefit_the_
mierat.de/en/publications/index.html people.pdf
6 The Federal Government (2018): German Sustaina- 12 United Nations General Assembly (2015): Transform-
ble Development Strategy. Update 2018, available on- ing our world: the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Devel-
line at: https://www.bundesregierung.de/resource/ opment. Available online at https://www.un.org/ga/
blob/975274/1588964/1b24acbed2b731744c2ffa4ca- search/view_doc.asp?symbol=A/RES/70/1&Lang=E
9f3a6fc/2019-03-13-dns-aktualisierung-2018-eng-
lisch-data.pdf?download=1 13 European Commission (2018): A sustainable Bioecono-
my for Europe: strengthening the connection between
7 Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conser- economy, society and the environment. Updated Bioec-
vation and Nuclear Safety (BMU) (2016): Climate Action onomy Strategy. Available online at: https://ec.europa.
Plan 2050. Principles and goals of the German govern- eu/research/bioeconomy/pdf/ec_bioeconomy_strate-
ment’s climate policy. Available online at: https://www. gy_2018.pdf
bmu.de/fileadmin/Daten_BMU/Pools/Broschueren/kli-
maschutzplan_2050_en_bf.pdf
ENDNOTES 63
14 Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) 19 Egenolf, Vincent; Bringezu, Stefan (2019): Conceptual-
(2019): Climate Change and Land. An IPCC special re- ization of an Indicator System for Assessing the Sustain-
port on climate change, desertification, land degrada- ability of the Bioeconomy. In: Sustainability 11 (2). DOI:
tion, sustainable land management, food security, and 10.3390/su11020443; https://symobio.de/wp-content/
greenhouse gas fluxes in terrestrial ecosystems (SRC- uploads/2019/01/sustainability-11-00443.pdf
CL). Available online at: https://www.ipcc.ch/srccl-re-
port-download-page/.
Intergovernmental Platform on Biodiversity and Eco-

system Services (IPBES) (2019): Report of the Plena-
ry of the Inter-governmental Science-Policy Platform
on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services on the work of
its seventh session. Paris. Available online at: https://
www.ipbes.net/system/tdf/ipbes_7_10_add.1_en_1.pdf?-
file=1&type=node&id=35329
15 The Federal Government (2008): German Strategy for

Adaptation to Climate Change. Adopted by the Fed-
eral Cabinet on 17 December 2008. Long version. Ber-
lin. Available online at https://www.bmu.de/fileadmin/
bmu-import/files/english/pdf/application/pdf/das_
zusammenfassung_en.pdf
16 Federal Ministry of Food and Agriculture (BMEL) (2019):

Agenda: Adaptation of agriculture, forestry, fisheries
and aquaculture to climate change. Berlin. Available on-
line at: https://www.bmel.de/SharedDocs/Downloads/
DE/_Landwirtschaft/AMK-12-04-19-Agenda-Anpas-
sung-Klimawandel.pdf?__blob=publicationFile&v=4
17 Federal Ministry of Food and Agriculture (2017): Miti-

gating climate change. Creating value. Utilising resourc-
es efficiently. Published by Federal Ministry of Food and
Agriculture (BMEL). Berlin. Available online at: https://
www.charta-fuer-holz.de/fileadmin/charta-fuer-holz/
dateien/service/mediathek/Web_RZ_FNRC_0094_
Charter_for_Wood_180918.pdf
18 The National Platform on ESD (Published) (2017): Na-

tional Action Plan on Education for Sustainable Devel-
opment (BNE). The German contribution to the UN-
ESCO Global Action Programme. Federal Ministry of
Education and Research (BMBF). Berlin
Available online at: https://www.bne-portal.de/sites/de-
fault/files/downloads/publikationen/BMBF_NAP_BNE_
EN_Screen_2.pdf
Country code
AR Argentina
AT Austria
AU Australia
BE Belgium
BR Brazil
CA Canada
CN China
CO Colombia
CR Costa Rica
DE Germany
DK Denmark
ES Spain
FI Finland
FO Faroe Islands
FR France
GB Great Britain
GL Greenland
ID Indonesia
IE Ireland
IN India
IS Iceland
IT Italy
JP Japan
KE Kenya
KR South Korea
LK Sri Lanka
LT Lithuania
LV Latvia
ML Mali
MU Mauritius
MX Mexico
MY Malaysia
MZ Mozambique
NA Namibia
NL Netherlands
NO Norway
NZ New Zealand
PT Portugal
PY Paraguay
RU Russia
SE Sweden
SN Senegal
TH Thailand
TZ Tanzania
UG Uganda
US United States
UY Uruguay
ZA South Africa
The country codes are used in the world map on pages 50–51.
Imprint
Published by This specialized publication of the Federal Ministry of Education
Bundesministerium für Bildung und Forschung/ and Research and the Federal Ministry of Food and Agriculture is
Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF) available free of charge. It is not for sale and may not be used by
Division “Sustainable Economy; Bio-Economy” political parties or groups for electoral campaigning.
11055 Berlin, Germany
Bundesministerium für Ernährung und Landwirtschaft/

Federal Ministry of Food and Agriculture (BMEL)
Division “Bioeconomy, Material Biomass Use”
10117 Berlin
Germany
July 2020
Edited by
BMBF and BMEL
Editorial support
Project Management Jülich, Forschungszentrum Jülich GmbH
Design
BIOCOM AG, Berlin
Printed by
Zarbock GmbH & Co. KG
Photo credits
Cover picture and all illustrations: BMBF/Florian Sänger; p. 2:
BMBF/Laurence Chaperon (Anja Karliczek), BPA_Steffen Kugler
(Julia Klöckner); p. 7: Science RF/stock.adobe.com; p. 15: FZ Jülich;
p. 24: Budimir Jevtic/stock.adobe.com; p. 28: Fraunhofer Gesell-
schaft; p. 31: Nestor/stock.adobe.com; p. 35: Cavan Images/stock.
adobe.com; p. 43: Enrique del Barrio/stock.adobe.com; p. 44: Ung-
var/Freepik.com; p. 46: Budimir Jevtic/stock.adobe.com; p. 50/51:
pop_jop/istockphoto.com (Karte); p. 52: BMBF/Wissenschaftsjahr
2020/21; S. 57: sushytska/stock.adobe.com
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National Bioeconomy Strategy

bundesregierung.de | bmbf.de | bmel.de

Bundesministerium für Ernährung und Landwirtschaft/

1 Bioeconomy for a sustainable future . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8

2 The Bioeconomy Strategy of the German Federal Government . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12

3 Research funding for a sustainable bioeconomy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20

4 Areas of action to improve the framework for a sustainable bioeconomy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36

Conclusion and outlook . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 56

The German National Bioeconomy Strategy

Common strategic goals for research funding

Research funding Framework conditions

The bioeconomy aims to help solve

Biological knowledge Biogenic raw

The Bioeconomy Strategy of the

With its new Bioeconomy Strategy, the

2.1 Guidelines of the Bioeconomy Strategy

Guideline 2: The bioeconomy not only replaces fossil raw materials

The Algae Science Centre at the Forschungszentrum Jülich.

Goals of the National Bioeconomy Strategy

› Guarantee food security for a growing world population

2.2 Goals and implementation

2.3 Bioeconomy as a contribution

UN Sustainable Development Goals relevant to the bioeconomy

2.4 Global challenges, holistic solutions

2.5 Bioeconomy as a development strategy

Research funding for a

Overview of the bioeconomy research landscape in Germany

Universities of Applied Sciences

Dusseldorf Leipzig Dresden

3.1 Focus of the research funding

through bio-based innovations

3.2 Building blocks for the implementation

The funding for research must be structured in such a way

Building blocks of the research funding

sustainably importance in this context that biodiversity conservation

sible solutions satisfying a comprehensive interpretation

The pilot phase of an extensive monitoring process intend-

3.2.4 Transfer from idea

It is not enough to acquire biological knowledge and to de-

and medium-sized enterprises ability to engage in interdisciplinary and transdisciplinary

technology transfer of systemic relationships and global change is a prerequi-

Cooperation with non-European

Areas of action to improve

As a cross-cutting topic, the bioeconomy

Action areas for a sustainable bioeconomy

4 Market launch and establishment of bio-based products, processes and services

4.1 Reducing the pressure on land

Resources of the bioeconomy

Pharma Construction Agriculture Energy

4.2 Sustainable production and supply

4.3 Establishing and developing bioeconomy

4.4 Market introduction and establishment

Public procurement is another important tool that can be

The ‘German Innovation Partnership’ (Deutsche Innovation-

4.5 Using the potential inherent in the bioeco-

Agricultural land in Germany in 2017

Agricultural land relative

Source: FNR according to Federal Office of Statistics, BMEL (2017)

4.6 Exploiting digitisation for the bioeconomy