Publication
The Bioeconomy
From Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine
Published on
Last updated on
The bioeconomy, as described in the updated EU bioeconomy strategy , covers all sectors and systems that rely on biological resources (animals, plants, micro-organisms and derived biomass, including organic waste), their functions and principles. It includes and interlinks: land and marine ecosystems and the services they provide; all primary production sectors that use and produce biological resources (agriculture, forestry, fisheries and aquaculture); and all economic and industrial sectors that use biological resources and processes to produce food, feed, bio-based products, energy and services.
The National Development Plan - Project Ireland 2040 the Government's €116 billion development plan which is underpinned by a 20 year planning framework, highlights the potential of the circular bioeconomy in promoting the more efficient use of renewable resources while supporting economic development and employment in rural Ireland.
As part of Project 2040 the Government published the first National Policy Statement on the Bioeconomy (March 2018) . Through this commitment the Government recognises that the bioeconomy is crucial for decarbonisation, sustainability and circularity while also providing an impetus to competiveness and rural and regional development and employment.
The Government has mandated an implementation group jointly chaired by the Departments of Agriculture, Food and Marine and Communications, Climate Action and Environment to address a number of major actions, in close collaboration with bioeconomy industries and other partners, and report back to Government within a year.
The Bioeconomy Implementation Group held 4 meetings throughout 2018 and two meetings in 2019 (minutes pdf 706Kb )
- EU Commission - Research and Innovation – Bioeconomy
- EU Bioeconomy Strategy - Innovating for Sustainable Growth – A Bio-economy for Europe
- EU Knowledge Centre for Bioeconomy
- EIB – Circular Bioeconomy Thematic Investment Platform
- EU Research & Innovation Funding - Biobased Industries Joint Undertaking – Public Private Partnership
- Private Sector engagement in EU Bioeconomy - Biobased Industries Consortium
- Teagasc – BioEire Results
- Science Foundation Ireland – BiOrbic Bioeconomy Research Centre
- Enterprise Ireland – Irish Bioeconomy Association, Innovation Cluster & Lisheen Bioeconomy Biorefining Pilot Facility
- The Department of Business, Enterprise and Innovation (DBEI) published a paper (2019) on Realising the opportunities for enterprise in the bioeconomy & circular economy .
- Irish Bioeconomy Development – irishbioeconomy.ie – join the Irish bioeconomy stakeholder network
Funding – news updates:
- The Irish Bioeconomy Foundation in collaboration with the Bioeconomy Implementation Group have produced a brochure (pdf 2,572Kb) signposting the main bioeconomy related funding opportunities and supports available for a range of stakeholders.
- 2020 Call for proposals for the EU LIFE programme was launched on 02 April 2020 with funding amounts up to 55 % of co-funding for most LIFE projects including on bioeconomy and up to 75 % for nature and biodiversity projects.
- EU Commission Bioeconomy Events
- International Bioeconomy Events
- BBI JU Virtual Info Day 2020 - 22nd April
- National Bioeconomy Events
