Regional governance models in the bioeconomy

Topic description

ExpectedOutcome:

Successful proposals will contribute to the expected impacts of Destination ‘Innovative governance, environmental observations and digital solutions in support of the Green Deal’, and the European policies it supports, in particular the European Green Deal, and EU bioeconomy strategy, by supporting the establishment of the innovative governance models notably to achieve better-informed decision-making processes, social engagement and innovation. In addition, the topic supports the strengthened EU and international science-policy interfaces to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals.

Projects results are expected to contribute to all of the following expected outcomes:

• Creation of a supporting governance structure and related capacities for regional authorities, contributing to the Circular Cities and Regions Initiative (CCRI)^[1] and aiming at developing comprehensive and innovation- and sustainability-driven bioeconomy strategies.
• Support to local economic and implementing authorities, including at bioeconomy clusters’ level, to improve engagement of regional and local actors, considering hierarchy of use, trade-offs, synergies, business models, participatory approaches etc. with improved environmental, social and economic impacts.
• Support to the development of regional/local strategies, aiming at exploiting and developing balanced local potentials and innovation (in terms of feedstock, infrastructures (e.g. biorefineries) for logistics, services and production, investments) within the framework of local development and investment as well as environmental protection plans.
• Integration of the opportunities created by the local bio-based economy within broader bioeconomy transition, e.g. by linking ecosystem/nature services’ valorisation with sustainable biomass production, processing, product design and manufacture, circular use and upcycling to new applications.
• Development of the best practice guidelines for local operators and innovation developers, supporting climate-neutrality and low environmental footprint improvements of bio-based products and services;
• Development of novel business models and related social measures to enable consumers, industry and public bodies to switch to socially and environmentally responsible behaviour within their choices (e.g. regulatory measures, corporate responsibility initiatives, education); ensuring synergies, transparency and inclusiveness of all actors;

Improved and informed governance including social innovation contributes to reducing resource consumption and results in an increased innovation capacity of all actors, and reducing the risk of leaving anyone behind. This should take into account the regional and local peculiarities, including feedstock availability, industrial development, consumption patterns, market measures and available investment streams (financial models), while ensuring effective sharing of best practices across European regions. This also helps to advance innovation at local scale and engage all actors.

This action should support the implementation of sustainable bio-based value chains, in regional settings (toolbox of instruments including strategies, plans and programmes, including the social dimension). Proposals should benefit from social creativity and opportunities at regional scale unleashed for bio-based systems, ensuring their low environmental footprint, and providing for its operational verification. Robust environmental protection plans should underpin the effort undertaken.

The local dimension refers to regional scales, in terms of rural/urban/coastal areas, to be identified/defined in their specific characteristics to act as optimal frameworks for coherent and replicable strategies of bio-based systems. The proposals should seek complementarities with related actions^[2] on the governance of bio-based innovation and ensure inclusiveness and the engagement of all actors.

Proposals should:

1. Analyse and structure the regional bioeconomy-related policy mix (e.g. regional operational programmes, bioeconomy strategies under the common agricultural policy instruments, innovation action plans, business models, environmental protection plans) to understand the potentials, bottlenecks, and opportunities, capacities etc. for feedstocks, infrastructure, investment, human skills, innovation actors (including community knowledge) etc. to enable sufficient impacts/benefits/positive trade-offs and performances of the specific bioeconomy/bio-based value chains;
2. assess existing/develop a new policy monitoring system and key performance indicators of the effectiveness and robustness of existing governance schemes, to allow replication across Europe (e.g. income generation for all stakeholders, labour conditions, environmental indicators, social engagement, innovation parameters etc);
3. ensure efficient exchange of best practice and engagement of all actors (regional and local authorities, SMEs, civil society organisations including NGOs, knowledge providers) via robust and transparent communication and awareness-rising campaigns;
4. analyse social and economic barriers and potentialities to enable the transition towards socially and environmentally responsible behaviour within all ranges (e.g. regulatory measures, corporate responsibility initiatives, education), ensuring inclusiveness of all actors (NGOs, civil society etc, considering gender and age, where relevant.)

Socio-economic science and humanities
Societal Engagement

[1]https://ec.europa.eu/research/environment/index.cfm?pg=circular

[2]Such as the POWER4BIO and BE-Rural projects funded under Horizon 2020 or the projects under the call SwafS-14-2018-2019-2020: Supporting the development of territorial responsible research and innovation.