Introduction to Sustainable Bioeconomy

Learn how a circular bioeconomy could aid sustainability

The European economy faces multiple simultaneous challenges related to environmental sustainability. Alongside the threat of climate change, nations are also grappling with resource depletion, population growth, and overconsumption.

On this course, you’ll learn how a circular bioeconomy could solve these issues, and come away able to identify the latest developments in European bioeconomic policy.

Explore the importance of bioeconomy for sustainability

A bioeconomy is an economy where the basic building blocks for energy and materials come from renewable biological sources.

Alongside experts from the University of Padova and seven other renowned European Universities, you’ll explore how recent wood-based innovations could help nations move to a fossil-free future.

Examine different national forest sectors

You’ll describe the different ways the bioeconomy is interpreted across Europe, and understand what these different national approaches mean for Europe’s forest-based sectors.

You’ll summarise and interpret the perception held among citizens towards the bioeconomy, and learn how the concept itself emerged.

Discover the latest innovations in sustainability

Examining real-world examples, you’ll understand the most recent innovations in the European bioeconomy, and the challenges forest-based sectors face going forward.

Ultimately, you’ll grasp how the introduction of bioeconomy policy could jumpstart the sustainable transformation of society in Europe.

This course is for students at all levels and professionals (e.g. consultants, public servants) active in natural resource management sectors (e.g. forestry and agriculture)

It would also benefit communication specialists and policymakers looking to better understand the emerging bioeconomy discourse and the latest bioeconomy-related policy developments at European level impacting the forest-based sector.

• The Politics of Bioeconomy
• Welcome to Bioeconomy and Society
• Overview of Week 1
• Defining the bioeconomy concept
• Conceptual frameworks
• Bioeconomy and Sustainability
• Expert Interviews
• Quiz
• Stakeholder Perceptions
• Overview of Week 2
• Bioeconomy networks and forest stakeholders
• Future Stakeholders
• Expert Interviews
• Quiz
• Innovations and Public Perceptions
• Overview of Week 3
• Innovations with wood
• Actor perspectives in innovation management
• The importance of citizens in co-shaping the bioeconomy transition
• Expert interviews
• Quiz
• Wrapping up