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ArticleMonitoring the sustainability effects of bioeconomy beyond black and white perspectives: The forest sector in Uruguay
XV World Forestry Congress, 2-6 May 2022
2022Also available in:
No results found.Bioeconomy has gained attention in recent years as an alternative to achieve the 2030 Agenda for sustainable development, its Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), and the Paris agreement. Although bioeconomy is often associated with a range of benefits it is not necessarily more sustainable and does not always create a win-win in all sustainability dimensions. Though trade-offs are inevitable they must be identified in order to be minimized or ideally avoided. However, most measures are restricted to economic sustainability while social and environmental impacts are addressed to a limited extent. In this study we present a holistic approach to monitor the sustainability of the bioeconomy in the forest sector at the value chain and national level. As proof of applicability, we use the example of Uruguay, a relatively small country in both surface (176,000 km2) and population (3.5 million), but with a strong connection to the global economy through forestry trade. The forest sector, particularly Eucalyptus cellulose, was the second most exported product in 2020 (around 14% of the total exports) and plays a vital role in the sustainable development of the country. But which sustainability effects are connected to the production of wood commodities in Uruguay and in which steps of the value chain there are opportunities to improve sustainability? In order to answer these questions, we used the most recent available forest statistics in a material flow and life cycle approach and assessed context-specific economic, environmental and social sustainability effects. The set of indicators is linked to SDGs in order to show the strong potential in coupling bioeconomy monitoring in terms of SDG reporting. Based on our results conclusions are drawn on how a systematic analysis of a sector can be conducted holistically going beyond economy and how to enhance statistics in order to make monitoring and evaluation of the bioeconomy a long-term strategy. Keywords: bioeconomy, environment, society, sustainable development, monitoring and evaluation ID: 3623706 -
ArticleMonitoring sectoral effects and sustainability of German bioeconomy
XV World Forestry Congress, 2-6 May 2022
2022Also available in:
No results found.Substitution of fossil resources by renewables represents the core of the so-called bioeconomy and, as such, is a key factor of sustainable economic development. In Germany, wood is the most important renewable and sustainably produced resource for material uses. Traditional wood uses are manifested in harmonized economic activities like production of paper, furniture and other. At the same time, new uses of wood are established in markets and economies. How does this development affect economic sectors? How much wood-based employment, value added and turnover is created in this process and what share of the total economy is affected? In order to answer these questions and to steer bioeconomy development, production, processing, and use of wood and other biomasses need careful monitoring. Our design for monitoring resource base and sustainability of German bioeconomy approaches these issues in two complementary ways: on a sectoral and a material flow-based level. Our sectoral approach covers the wider context of economic activities. Its quantification allows for accounting significance and development of bioeconomy in national context and international comparisons. Sectoral bioeconomy monitoring uses existing official classification schemes and statistics to provide data on socio-economic development. Some of the economic activities included in bioeconomy are partly bio-based. For those, bio-based shares are calculated based on the amount of the respective inputs of bio-based material. The bio-based shares are used for calculating bio-based employment, turnover, and value added as well as other indicators quantifying sustainability effects of the bioeconomy. In order to give an idea on some of bioeconomy’s sustainability effects on a national scale, 10 indicators have been quantified and put into perspective with the total figures for Germany. The indicators origin from the German Sustainable Development Strategy and address German contribution to achieve the SDGs. Keywords: bioeconomy, sustainability, monitoring, greenhouse gas emissions, value added ID: 3485645 -
ArticleMonitoring bioeconomy: wood flows and sustainability
XV World Forestry Congress, 2-6 May 2022
2022Also available in:
No results found.Substitution of fossil resources by renewable ones represents the core of the so-called bioeconomy and as such is a key factor of sustainable economic development. In Germany, wood is produced sustainably and the most important renewable resource for material uses. Traditional uses play an important role. At the same time, new wood-based value chains are developed and wood-based process and product innovations occur. But are wood- and other bio-based solutions really more sustainable? What effects occur along value chains due to increased wood use? In order to answer these questions and to steer bioeconomy development, production, processing and use of wood and other biomasses need careful monitoring. Our approach for monitoring resource base and sustainability of German bioeconomy approaches these issues in two complementary ways: on a sectoral and material flow-based level. In material flow-based analysis, all possible processing and manufacturing steps of a certain resource as e.g. wood from production (harvest or catch) to final disposal are described and quantified. Therefore, it allows for a detailed analysis of specific value chains as compared to a sectoral assessment of the bioeconomy. Thus, material flow-based analysis provides data for evaluation of efficient use of resources and substitution of fossil resources in production, processing and manufacturing as well as use and post-use phases. As of today, biomass is already used in multiple ways but data to quantify all used amounts in detail is not available. Material flow-based analysis is also the basis for the assessment and comparison of sustainability effects of bio-based material flows and their products with non-bio-based. As an example, we quantify global warming and eutrophication potential associated with wood pallets, representing the material flow of coniferous sawn wood. Keywords: bioeconomy, sustainability, material flow, global warming potential, eutrophication potential ID: 3485597
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