MONOGRAPH: The confluence of Circular Bioeconomy, Biorefineries and Sustainable Development Goals in the olive sector

Abstract

In this work, the basic concepts of Circular Economy, Bioeconomy and Biorefineries are reviewed with a special emphasis on the olive sector. The possibility of developing biorefineries in this field entails a series of advantages that affect economic, social and environmental aspects and, therefore, can have a direct impact on achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). This article reviews the main contributions of biorefineries based on olive biomass to the SDGs, both from the industrial point of view and from the point of view of cooperatives, which represent the vast majority of the productive structures in the olive oil sector in Spain. Finally, an analysis is carried out of the barriers and opportunities that may affect the achievement of the SDGs in the area of study.