Bioeconomy governance and (sustainable) development

Abstract

This chapter addresses the relationship between bioeconomy and sustainable development in South America. Since the early 21st century, the bioeconomy emerged within countries in the Global North as a new concept and strategy aiming to increase the use of bio-based resources and production processes, not least to foster a transition away from the use of fossil fuels. This paradigm change has been related in different manners to a pathway to more sustainable ways of production, consumption and the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). However, the bioeconomy is not inherently sustainable. While there are academic debates on bioeconomy and its sustainability in Europe and the US, discussions on its implementation and implications for sustainability in countries in South America have been covered much less and mainly focused on sectorial approaches. We examine the link between bioeconomy and the SDGs in a broad sense to then analyse the implications and challenges that bioeconomy brings to sustainable development in South American countries, focusing on one of the largest bioeconomy sectors in the region, the case of agriculture. We conclude that while bioeconomy could be a driver for sustainable development, in South American countries this is still contested as bioeconomy strategies and proponents of bioeconomy do not pay sufficient attention to socio-environmental concerns raised by citizens and civil society.