Bioeconomy development level at a macro scale and from a regional perspective in Poland

Abstract

Purpose: Bioeconomy is a contemporary concept of economic development. It means focusing on increasing economic efficiency through a more extensive use of renewable environmental resources. The implementation of this concept causes structural changes in the economy and consumption at both macro, regional and local levels. The bioeconomy refers to the concept of sustainable development. The level of development of bioeconomy is important in enhancing regional cohesion in terms of economic and social development. The bioeconomy is the subject of both conceptual research and structural decision-making in economic development. The purpose of the article is to present economic diversification in Poland in 2010-2019 in relation to selected aspects of bioeconomy development. Design/methodology/approach: In order to construct the indicator of the level of bioeconomy development in the regions, statistical characteristics were selected and weighted using a formula that favored the characteristics with the highest variability. Then, to illustrate the level of bioeconomy, a synthetic indicator was constructed to divide the regions into three categories: low-development regions, developing regions and developed regions. Findings: The level of bioeconomy development in Polish regions shows great variation in both bioeconomy resources, economic indicators for the bioeconomy and innovation in the production process. Dispersion coefficient of regional level of bioeconomy points to the ongoing processes of regional divergence in the bioeconomy in Poland. Efficiency in the use of available resources, including the degree of renewable energy use and the level of innovation in the regions, was the most important factor in the development of the bioeconomy during the study period. Research limitations/implications: The use of statistical methods should be comprehensive in order to present a picture of the subject of the research from multiple perspectives and the findings regarding other areas. Hence the need to use research methods that take into account the interdependence between different factors affecting socio-economic development both on a national and regional scale. Practical implications: The development of bioeconomy is undoubtedly a factor influencing the socio-economic development of regions. However, it is not the only developmental stimulator. The activities of both national and regional authorities should be diversified, based on supporting various types of economic activity and investing in different branches and industries. A holistic approach to the issue of regional disparities that takes into account the bioeconomy can lead to a narrowing of the development gap between different regions in the country. Social implications: The development of bioeconomy is an opportunity to improve the quality of life and living conditions for the inhabitants of regions with resource potential and openness to apply new solutions and technologies in this area. Originality/value: An attempt to identify the level of bioeconomy development in dynamic terms and its relationship to the positioning of regions in terms of the level of socio-economic development. Keywords: bioeconomy, regional disparities, green growth, Polish and EU strategic documents. Category of the paper: research paper.