Promoting Education, Training and Skills across the Bioeconomy: Strengthening Sustainability and Circularity in Bioeconomy Education and Training across Europe to Meet the Ambitions of the European Green Deal. Policy Brief

The bioeconomy, as a catalyst for systemic change, tackles the economic, social and environmental aspects of the European Green Deal, seeking new ways of producing and consuming resources while respecting our planet's limits and moving away from a linear economy based on extensive use of fossil and mineral resources. As defined in the European Commission's updated Bioeconomy Strategy of 2018, the bioeconomy 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; and all economic and industrial sectors that use biological resources and processes to produce food, feed, bio-based products, energy and services." The transition to a sustainable and circular bioeconomy will be achieved through the five goals of the EU Bioeconomy Strategy: Ensuring food and nutrition security; Managing natural resources sustainably; Reducing dependence on non-renewable, unsustainable resources; Limiting and adapting to climate change; Strengthening European competitiveness and create jobs. This transition presents opportunities for jobs and economic growth. In particular, the Bioeconomy Strategy forecasts that one million new jobs could be created by 2030, supported by the "strong and fast-growing start-up ecosystem in the biotechnology sector". [This report was prepared by Deloitte, empirica, and Fondazione Giacomo Brodolini (FGB). For "Promoting Education, Training and Skills across the Bioeconomy. Final Report," see ED624066. For "Promoting Education, Training & Skills in the Bioeconomy: Higher Education," see ED624064.]