The Conditions of a Sustainable Bioeconomy

Abstract

The conditions of a sustainable bioeconomy refer to the concept of sustainability, which originates from forestry. In the 18th century, this was already used to describe the fact that the amount of wood that may be cut is only as much as can grow again. The basis for the much more comprehensive concept of sustainable development used today as a guiding political principle was created by the report of the World Commission on Environment and Development (WCED 1987), chaired by the Norwegian Prime Minister Gro Harlem Brundtland, that defined sustainable development as “development that meets the needs of the present generation without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.” In 1992, at the UN Conference on Environment and Development in Rio de Janeiro, the international community of states agreed on the mission statement of sustainable development. The Rio Declaration expresses the joint responsibility to use the earth’s resources in a way that all countries of the world have fair development opportunities without compromising the development opportunities of future generations (UNCED 1992). The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, adopted by all United Nations Member States in 2015, provides a shared blueprint for peace and prosperity for people and the planet, now and into the future. At its heart are the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), which are an urgent call for action by all countries – developed and developing – in a global partnership. They recognize that ending poverty and other deprivations must go hand-in-hand with strategies that improve health and education, reduce inequality, and spur economic growth – all while tackling climate change and working to preserve our oceans and forests (◘ Fig. 9.1).