Features
Re-flooded peatlands could unite the bioeconomy with conservation
Peatland covers just 3% of global land surface but stores twice as much carbon as the world’s forests combined. Despite its rarity and importance, the habitat has on the decline for centuries. Farmland expansion and the over-extraction of its dark,…
How plants could make steel more sustainable
The world cannot meet climate goals without decarbonising steel-manufacturing, which adds 7.2% of total greenhouse gas emissions per year, with the fastest-growing rate of any sector. The main carbon culprits in steel are coal and coke, used for energy and…
Are first-generation biofuels sustainable?
The sustainability of first-generation biofuels have attracted controversy, with questions around their true emissions savings and their impacts on other environmental metrics like water pollution and water consumption. We look at recent scientific evidence on whether and how first-gen biofuels…
The “keystone species” of the sustainable bioeconomy
Like every bioeconomy sector, the industries around biobased chemicals and biomaterials depend on the living world. Certain species hold immense importance in biobased supply chains - particularly crop species that are usually destined for human food. Among the most important…
France made composting compulsory. What does it mean for the bioeconomy?
From 1 January 2024, the French government made composting mandatory for every individual, household, and business in the country. Estimates say that 82 kilos of compostable waste is thrown away per person each year and the law could significantly boost…
European horticulture is ripe for circularity
Horticulture is an essential part of Europe’s regional food and economic security. Greenhouse cultivation grants year-round yields even where degraded soils and poor climate limits conventional farming.