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DocumentGuidelineTowards sustainable bioeconomy guidelines - GCP/GLO/724/GER 2017Bioeconomycomprises the parts of the economy that use renewable biological resources (plants, animals, micro-organisms, etc.) to replace fossil fuels, and produce food, animal feed, and other biobasedproducts. Its cross-cutting nature offers a unique opportunity to comprehensively address interconnected societal challenges such as food security, natural resource scarcity, fossil-resource dependence and climate change, while achieving sustainable economic development. As bioeconomyplays an increa singly important role in many countries and regions, it is crucial to establish guidelines that enable it to be developed in a sustainable way.
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ProjectFactsheetImplementing Bioeconomy to Support the Sustainable Development Goals - GCP/GLO/724/GER 2025
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No results found.The Sustainable Bioeconomy Guidelines (SBG) project aimed to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and improve food security, growth must be decoupled from fossil fuel dependence. This can be achieved through sustainable consumption and improved resource use efficiency, with bioeconomy playing a key role. Bioeconomy involves producing goods and services from biomass, such as food, feed, fibre, biomaterials and bioenergy, and is gaining global interest with various countries developing holistic bioeconomy strategies. However, sustainable development of the bioeconomy is essential and requires guidelines to ensure environmental, economic, and social benefits, as well as good governance principles. In response, FAO supports countries in developing sustainable bioeconomy policies and strategies, focusing on agrifood systems transformation. FAO’s "Bioeconomy that works for People, Food Security and Climate" (BTW) programme includes analysing existing bioeconomy strategies, creating best-practice guidelines, and developing tools for sustainable bioeconomy development. The project had two phases: Phase 1 focused on stock-taking and gap analysis of sustainable bioeconomy worldwide, while Phase 2 aimed to implement sustainable bioeconomy principles. In July 2016, the German Ministry for Food and Agriculture (BMEL) reiterated its proposal to continue funding the development of sustainable bioeconomy guidelines as part of the BTW Programme. This second phase, entitled “Towards Sustainable Bioeconomy Guidelines”, focused on improving guidance on sustainable bioeconomy at a global, national and local levels to support FAO Member States and other stakeholders in sustainable bioeconomy operations. -
Book (series)Working paperTowards sustainable bioeconomy - Lessons learned from case studies 2019
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No results found.In 2015, at the Global Forum for Food and Agriculture meeting in Berlin, 62 ministers of agriculture recommended that FAO coordinate international work on sustainable bioeconomy. The German Ministry for Food and Agriculture has provided support to FAO to assist countries in the development of sustainable bioeconomy strategies and programmes. Bioeconomy activities are not necessarily sustainable. The use of biological resources and the production of biomass for food, feed, fuel and bio-based products can have both positive and negative environmental and socioeconomic impacts. The debates and experience related to bioenergy attest to this. Of paramount concern is that the development of the bioeconomy does not undermine food security, especially in areas with high levels of malnutrition. This includes the impact of environmental microbial resources on the composition of the human microbiome, which plays a role in preventing or contributing to malnourishment, including obesity, and other non-communicable diseases. Moreover, the combination of bioeconomy and digitalization and often seen as major drivers of the transformation of productive sectors. Almost fifty countries have placed the promotion of the bioeconomy on their political agendas, including the creation of dedicated visions, strategies and action plans. In 2016, FAO published the study ‘How sustainability is addressed in official bioeconomy strategies at international, national and regional levels. An overview’. As a continuation of this sustainability overview, the present report reviews how sustainability is addressed in real case studies of bioeconomy implementation around the world and from a range of different sectors. The overall aim of the report is to use these case studies to expand the general understanding of sustainability in the context of the development of the bioeconomy. To this end, this report offers lessons learned from 26 case studies, based on a review of their objectives and how they relate to broader sustainability goals (Principles and criteria for sustainable bioeconomy and the Sustainability Development Goals). The lessons clearly show that sustainability is not something that happens automatically. This document provides policy makers and people working directly in bioeconomy initiatives with examples of the sustainability elements that need to be considered when implementing bioeconomy activities.
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BookletHigh-profileFAO Strategy on Climate Change 2022–2031 2022The FAO Strategy on Climate Change 2022–2031 was endorsed by FAO Council in June 2022. This new strategy replaces the previous strategy from 2017 to better FAO's climate action with the Strategic Framework 2022-2031, and other FAO strategies that have been developed since then. The Strategy was elaborated following an inclusive process of consultation with FAO Members, FAO staff from headquarters and decentralized offices, as well as external partners. It articulates FAO's vision for agrifood systems by 2050, around three main pillars of action: at global and regional level, at country level, and at local level. The Strategy also encourages key guiding principles for action, such as science and innovation, inclusiveness, partnerships, and access to finance.
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BookletCorporate general interestSustainable and circular bioeconomy in the climate agenda: Opportunities to transform agrifood systems 2022
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No results found.The bioeconomy offers opportunities to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions along the agrifood system by replacing fossil-based resources and processes with biological ones, from microbiome innovations, biofertilizers and biopesticides, to alternative proteins, bio-based plastics and textiles, and biological waste management, to name just a few. A sustainable and circular bioeconomy also presents opportunities to improve climate change adaptation and resilience, through promoting ecosystem restoration, supporting indigenous and local livelihoods based on biological products and services, and building the conditions for more sustainably managed forests and fisheries. Several countries have identified circular bioeconomy as a strategy to achieve their nationally determined contributions (NDCs), some have included bioeconomy practices in their climate agenda, and others explicitly include bioeconomy strategies and policies as key elements in their pathway towards Paris Agreement targets. FAO works with countries to improve policy coherence in order to achieve national sustainability objectives. Climate action is specifically referenced as a key criterion in the aspirational principles and criteria for a sustainable bioeconomy, produced by the FAO-led International Sustainable Bioeconomy Working Group (ISBWG). -
Book (series)FlagshipThe State of Food Security and Nutrition in the World 2021
Transforming food systems for food security, improved nutrition and affordable healthy diets for all
2021In recent years, several major drivers have put the world off track to ending world hunger and malnutrition in all its forms by 2030. The challenges have grown with the COVID-19 pandemic and related containment measures. This report presents the first global assessment of food insecurity and malnutrition for 2020 and offers some indication of what hunger might look like by 2030 in a scenario further complicated by the enduring effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. It also includes new estimates of the cost and affordability of healthy diets, which provide an important link between the food security and nutrition indicators and the analysis of their trends. Altogether, the report highlights the need for a deeper reflection on how to better address the global food security and nutrition situation.To understand how hunger and malnutrition have reached these critical levels, this report draws on the analyses of the past four editions, which have produced a vast, evidence-based body of knowledge of the major drivers behind the recent changes in food security and nutrition. These drivers, which are increasing in frequency and intensity, include conflicts, climate variability and extremes, and economic slowdowns and downturns – all exacerbated by the underlying causes of poverty and very high and persistent levels of inequality. In addition, millions of people around the world suffer from food insecurity and different forms of malnutrition because they cannot afford the cost of healthy diets. From a synthesized understanding of this knowledge, updates and additional analyses are generated to create a holistic view of the combined effects of these drivers, both on each other and on food systems, and how they negatively affect food security and nutrition around the world.In turn, the evidence informs an in-depth look at how to move from silo solutions to integrated food systems solutions. In this regard, the report proposes transformative pathways that specifically address the challenges posed by the major drivers, also highlighting the types of policy and investment portfolios required to transform food systems for food security, improved nutrition, and affordable healthy diets for all. The report observes that, while the pandemic has caused major setbacks, there is much to be learned from the vulnerabilities and inequalities it has laid bare. If taken to heart, these new insights and wisdom can help get the world back on track towards the goal of ending hunger, food insecurity, and malnutrition in all its forms.