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You are here: Home / Archives for WG bioeconomy

Bio-based Innovation to Decarbonise the Construction Sector

7 November, 2022 By Johanna Pacevicius

On 6 December, the day before the AER Bureau, the AER Working Group on the Bioeconomy is organising a workshop on “The Bioeconomy & the New European Bauhaus“, which will look at bio-based innovation in the construction sector.

Bio-based innovation: a catalyst for change

The bio-based sector or bioeconomy, is a catalyst for systemic change. Indeed it opens new ways of producing and consuming resources while respecting our planetary boundaries. It contributes therefore directly to achieving the economic, social and environmental goals of the European Union’s Green Deal.

Massive impact in the construction sector

The construction sector has a considerable environmental impact, during the whole life cycle of buildings (construction, use, demolition) as well as the life cycle of construction materials.

In this context, bio-sourced construction materials, if managed in a sustainable way during their whole life cycle, have a major role in the decarbonisation of the construction sector. The development of technological innovation, value chains and skills ecosystems require however intense collaboration across sectors.

Creativity, sustainability, inclusion: it’s possible!

The New European Bauhaus is a creative and interdisciplinary EU initiative that connects the European Green Deal to our living spaces and experiences. 

The New European Bauhaus was launched by President von der Leyen in September 2021. It adds a cultural dimension to the Green Deal and accelerates the green transition with change on the ground that combines the values of aesthetics, sustainability, and inclusion.

Mutual learning to accelerate the development of the bioeconomy

The ambition of the AER Working Group on the Bioeconomy is to create a community amongst European regions to share challenges and opportunities. The activities organised by the working group are also laying the ground for future partnerships and projects.

The workshop “The Bioeconomy & the New European Bauhaus” will therefore look at:

  • European strategies supporting the decarbonisation of the construction sector
  • Societal challenges, the territorial approach
  • Technical innovations in bio-based materials, which are being explored and implemented in the regions
  • The state of play in the regions.

The programme of this workshop is available on the event webpage. As places are limited, registrations will be taken on a first-come first-served basis.

Share your experience!

It is still possible to propose policies and practices you are proud of in your region to be presented at the workshop on 6 December. Your experience matters and is interesting for other regions: this is what the mutual learning community is all about! If you would like to share your region’s experience in the decarbonisation of the construction sector via bio-based innovation, please get in touch with AER Coordinator for Policy & Knowledge Transfer Johanna Pacevicius.

More information on this topic

  • Activities of the AER Working Group on the Bioeconomy
  • Interview of Aud Hove, Chair of the AER Working Group on the Bioeconomy
  • How the bioeconomy contributes to the European Green Deal
  • European Strategy on the Bioeconomy
  • Knowledge Centre for Bioeconomy
  • Bioeconomy & EU financing instruments
  • Funding opportunities under the New European Bauhaus

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The Bioeconomy & the New European Bauhaus

19 October, 2022 By Johanna Pacevicius

Bio-based innovation to decarbonise the construction sector

The AER Working Group on the Bioeconomy, chaired by Aud Hove (Innlandet, NO) organised a workshop on “The Bioeconomy & the New European Bauhaus” on 6 December 09:00-13:00, which looked at

  • The European strategies supporting the decarbonisation of the construction sector
  • The link with societal challenges, the territorial approach
  • Technical innovations in bio-based constructions materials

AGENDA & PRESENTATIONS

(Click on titles to access presentations)

Beautiful, sustainable, inclusive by design

  • Welcome, setting the scene, Stian Berg, International Adviser, Innlandet (NO) on behalf of Aud Hove, Chair of the AER Working Group on the Bioeconomy
  • Spaces for mutual learning and policy innovation, Christian Spahr, AER Secretary General
  • The New European Bauhaus, Connecting our living spaces and experiences with the European Green Deal, Borislava Woodford, Directorate-General Joint Research Centre, European Commission
  • Decarbonising the construction sector: the challenges and measures to address them at EU level, Philippe Moseley, Policy Officer, Directorate General for Internal Market, Industry, Entrepreneurship and SMEs, European Commission

Moderated by Stian Berg

Bio-based, innovative practices in the regions

  • Nature Based Materials in Regional Ecosystems, Edwin Hamoen, Nature Based Materials Programme, Wageningen University, Gelderland (NL)
  • Decarbonising our territories with hemp : the construction market, Chloé Charlier, The European Hemp Pole, Grand Est (FR)
  • Industrial pilots, Skills ecosystems & Circular material hubs, Eivind Merok, Innlandet (NO)
  • The Bioeconomy & Värmland’s Smart Specialisation Strategy, Eva Hallström & Kaltum Hussein, Värmland (SE)

Facilitation by Johanna Pacevicius

This event took place the day before the AER Autumn Bureau, which saw the adoption of two AER position papers:

-Position Paper on Jobs, Growth & Investments

-Position Paper on Youth

More information on the Bureau event webpage

 

Photo credits: Pictures of event: AER (taken by Erik Hayes, Eurodyssey Trainee at the AER Secretariat)
Picture on event visual: courtesy from Innlandet County Council

Skills for the Bioeconomy @AER Summer Academy in Donegal

27 September, 2022 By Johanna Pacevicius

The ambition of the AER Working Group on the Bioeconomy is to create a community amongst European regions to share challenges, and opportunities, and create the ground for future partnerships and projects.

Youth at the heart of the shift to green gold

On the occasion of the AER Summer Academy in Ireland, the AER working group on the Bioeconomy facilitated a workshop with young people, to challenge the current situation and ask how the bioeconomy can become the green gold for a sustainable future.

Getting the opportunity to increase knowledge and awareness around the challenges in the field of agriculture, especially for youth, was a wonderful and rewarding experience. The discussions and conversations we had during as well as after the workshop were very interesting, I learned that youth in other regions face many of the same challenges as we do in Norway with the low profitability, lack of free time and challenges with recruitment and finding substitute workforce when needed. In addition to the aforementioned challenges which I believe are essential to overcome for farming to become more attractive for the future generations, this workshop made me reflect a lot upon the importance of giving young farmers opportunities for development such through exchange programs. I brought this perspective with me into many conversations, and hopefully, it will lead to facilitation of such opportunities in the nearest future in my own and other regions.

Sigrun Myrvang, youth representative, Innlandet (NO)

Indeed sustainability has three pillars: economic, social, and environmental.

In an increasingly resource-scarce world, we want to lift and empower youths and young leaders, through our democratic institutions and build tolerance for each other’s needs. I think young people see this more clearly than previous generations

Aud Hove, Chair of the AER Working Group on the Bioeconomy

The AER Summer Academy: a forum for exchanges

The AER Summer Academy is a forum for exchanges of experience when it comes to regional development and expertise in Europe.

Objectives:

  • Promoting regional democracy and the principle of subsidiarity.
  • Providing an opportunity for regional representatives to build networks with their counterparts across wider Europe.
  • Fostering interregional cooperation.
  • Promoting European integration, identity and sense of belonging among young people.
  • Facilitating exchanges of experience and good practices between regions, policy-makers and young people.
  • Supporting mutual learning.

The European Year of youth: an opportunity to reframe policies

The 2022 edition of the AER Summer Academy was a very special edition. Indeed, this was the first in-person edition since the COVID-19 pandemic. As has been shown since, the pandemic has had a disproportionate impact on youth. The event taking place during the European Year of Youth, was an opportunity to reframe policies and policymaking. This was the opportunity to make mobility and exchanges with peers across Europe possible again. To listen to young voices, and learn to listen better too.

Skills & the bioeconomy

The bioeconomy covers all sectors and systems that rely on biological resources. It spans over sectors as diverse as food, construction, energy and waste management. In the context of societal challenges such as climate change, food security, energy independence and environmental sustainability, the bioeconomy is deemed to generate solutions for a better use of resources, life-cycle management and the development of new materials.

Because the industries in the bioeconomy, the value chains, the collaborations between stakeholders are new, there are major challenges in terms of skills: both to develop the right skills and to attract & retain skills in the industry.

The workshop looked specifically at food and food production for the future, with sustainability and security as the tagline. A key focus was on young voices in relation to food production and education, innovation and recruitment.

Speakers:

  • Aud Hove, Deputy Mayor of Innlandet (NO), Chair of AER working group on the bioeconomy
  • Gjertrud Nordal, youth representative, Innlandet (NO)
  • Sigrun Myrvang, youth representative, Innlandet (NO)
    Presentation from Innlandet available here
  • Vivian Stribos, EU Lobbyist for Gelderland (NL)
  • Freek Beijer, youth delegate, Gelderland (NL)
    Presentation from Gelderland is available here
  • Mairead nic Iomaire, Cill Ulta Centre for Sustainability, Donegal (IE)
    Presentation from Udarás Na Gaeltachta is available here

Upcoming activities of the working group

The Working Group will organise an experience-sharing workshop on the sides of the AER Bureau meeting in December. The exact date of the workshop will be communicated ASAP

Regions interested in the topic, could be specifically interested in the following event which take place in the context of the European Week of Regions:

  •  Food 2030: Regions as agents of change for sustainable food systems and biobased solutions
    Region Värmland invited the CEO of Paper Province, a cluster organization, to present their experience in the transition to biobased solutions. The session will provide feedback on the Food 2030 policy and emphasise the role of regions in the green transition through a bioeconomic lens. The participatory lab will focus on food and sustainable food production. It will also be an opportunity to provide feedback on food systems and bio-based solutions directly to representatives from the European Commission.

If you would like to be informed about the activities of the Working Group on the Bioeconomy, please fill in this questionnaire (3 questions + contact details), it is possible to join anytime!

Photo taken in Donegal by Ainars Djatlevskis on Unsplash

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Interview with Aud Hove, Chair of the AER Working Group on the Bioeconomy

22 August, 2022 By Johanna Pacevicius

How exchanging experiences with other regions leverages knowledge and the ability to create impact: the Chair of the newly created working group on the bioeconomy & skills, Aud Hove, Innlandet (NO), shares about her motivation for setting up a working group within the AER network.

Can you please introduce yourself?

My name is Aud Hove, I serve as the deputy county mayor in Innlandet county, Norway. I come from a small mountainous village and municipality, named Skjåk, but due to my occupation, I currently live in Lillehammer. I have always been interested in bio-based business and nature management.

In Norway we have a saying “from the earth to the table” not different from EU new initiative Farm to Fork, emphasizing that value chains must play together and do no significant harm to others or the environment.

Our region, Innlandet needs our farmers and we need the industry so that people get what they need for a living. At the same time, I also believe that we must change some of our habits and consumption. Norway, Europe, and the western world consume far more than we produce and it is not sustainable in the long run.

What motivated you in launching the working group on the bioeconomy & skills?

The bioeconomy is both the past and the future. We have always harvested from the wood and fields, but oil, gas and coal have taken up too much space in the last decade.

I’m convinced that collaboration, experience sharing, knowledge, and research and education it is the key to success.

Aud Hove, Chair of the AER Working Group on the Bioeconomy

The value chain in biomass and green carbon can be used more sustainably, wisely while we at the same time look for new products fit for green Innlandet and Europe.  

I’m convinced that collaboration, experience sharing, knowledge, and research and education it is the key to success. Bioeconomy, and circular economy is not only necessary for a green transition, but also our green gold, our future livelihood. 

What do you want to achieve with this working group?

Innlandet and Norway cannot solve global environmental challenges alone.

As emphasised in the Paris Agreement, the EU Green Deal, and the UN Sustainable Development Goals, international collaboration and solutions are needed. Sharing good examples and tackling common challenges across national borders is a part of Innlandet’s strategy.

We want to create a common understanding of different opportunities and challenges, by learning from others and sharing our best practices. Developing and improving the bioeconomy is part of the solution for climate and environment, and I think Innlandet has expertise and know-how which we can share with the rest of Europe.  

What will the working group do in the coming months?

Our ambition is to create a community amongst European regions to share challenges, opportunities and maybe future partnerships and projects.

First we will facilitate a workshop on the occasion of the AER Summer Academy in Ireland with young people, where we will challenge the current situation and ask how the bioeconomy can become our green gold in a sustainable future. Indeed sustainability has three pillars: economic, social, and environmental. All three pillars must be weighted equally to get a fair distribution and a future in harmony. In an increasingly resource-scarce world, we want to lift and empower youths and young leaders, through our democratic institutions and build tolerance for each other’s needs. I think young people see this more clearly than previous generations.

Second, we are planning a meeting of the working group on the side of the AER General Assembly, during the European Week of Cities and regions, the second week of October 2022. This meeting will be focused on experience exchange.

In Spring 2023, we want to organise an online activity around project development.

Another activity we will carry out is the mapping of the specificities of each region and their good practices as a basis for matchmaking, study visits, potential projects

If this collaboration with other regions was a film, what would be the title?

“Together we can build a better and greener future”

Or: “Leapfrogging green bio-based transitions –  A tale of European Regions”  

Thank you Aud Hove for the interview!

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Bioeconomy & skills: first meeting of working group

28 June, 2022 By Johanna Pacevicius

On 22 June 2022, the AER working group on the bioeconomy and skills held its first meeting to define priorities and develop activities for the coming months

Getting to know each other

The working group aims to be a space for targetted experience sharing, finding resources and strategic intelligence, as well as developing initiatives and projects. For this to be possible it is essential to get to know each other and hear what makes the topic of the bioeconomy a current one in different regions across Europe.

The meeting therefore started with a presentation of each members and a pitch on the situation in each region.

Defining priority areas for exchanges

Members of the group discussed what they hoped to find in this group, and what they could share.

Three main areas stood out:

  • bio-based construction materials and techniques
  • new food systems
  • waste management: including clothes, digital waste (topic also relevant for food systems & construction)

In the context of the bioeconomy, where the industry, the value chain, the collaborations between stakeholders are new, there are major challenges in terms of skills: both to develop the right skills and to attract & retain skills in places where the industry is located

Planning activities

The working group was created based on a proposal by Innlandet (NO). The approach is to have light-weight working group, which will develop a few activities for the coming year, which can take place on the occasion of AER events.

The group agreed on the following activities:

  • Workshop of the working group on the occasion of the AER Summer Academy on September 1st, in Donegal. More information on the Summer Academy, the general programme of events and registration form is available here
  • Experience exchange event on the side of the AER General Assembly (onsite), which would also coincide with the European Week of Regions & Cities
  • Online meeting around project development (tbc whether brokerage event, or information on funding etc)
  • Mapping of the specificities of each region and their good practices as a basis for matchmaking, study visits, potential projects

About the AER working group on the bioeconomy & skills

The working group on the bioeconomy and skills was set up in Spring 2022, based on a proposal by Innlandet (NO), supported by Lower Austria (AU), Gelderland (NL), Värmland (SE). Indeed, to set up a working group a region has to find at least three supporting regions, which will help shape the activities, participate and contribute to the work.

The working group on the bioeconomy and skills is currently chaired by Aud Hove, Deputy Mayor of Innlandet (NO) and gathers representatives from Värmland (SE), Gelderland (NL), Fribourg (CH), Donegal (IE), Udaras na Gaeltachta (IE), Adana (TR), Eastern Slovenia (SI).

It’s possible to join anytime

If you are interested in collaborating with this working group, please fill in this short questionnaire so we know you better and can contact you. Working groups are exclusively for AER members. If you have any question, you can contact AER Coordinator for Policy & Knowledge Exchange Johanna Pacevicius.

I want to set up a working group on another topic!

An AER working group provides a space for experience and knowledge exchange.

If you’re not yet sure exactly about the activities or the specific focus of the working group you would like to lead, but you know you want to be engaged and lead a working group, contact us!

We’ll schedule a meeting to specify needs. We’ll help you identify the topic and main objective of the working group you’d like to set up and make sure that

  • this will indeed create value for you
  • there is a match between expectation and resources

We’ll help you to develop a draft proposal on the focus of the Working Group and identify a few potential activities, which you will then be able to share with other AER members.

What kind of topics?

At the AER we like to say that everything is possible!

Topics need to be in line with the Mission and Objectives of the AER, as defined in the AER Statutes

They need to be in line with the basic fundamental principles of the Council of Europe.

Who will be in the working group?

You may already know with which regions you would like to specifically cooperate with, in that case let us know and when needed we can facilitate the connection.

Working groups are open to all AER members. In order to propose a new working group, a core group of 1 leading region and at least 3 supporting regions are needed for the creation of a working group.

If you don’t yet know which regions you’d like to work with, let’s discuss! Together with the AER Secretariat you’ll be able identify peers in other regions who could be interested to work with you.

What kind of activities?

As per the AER Statutes, working groups are responsible for

  • Promoting networking and knowledge exchange between AER members on specific issues related to regional development; (8.3a)
  • Identifying and disseminating good practices. (8.3.b)

In this context, and depending on what you would like to achieve, activities can include activities to raise awareness on a topic and share existing practices, experience sharing, workshops to identify how to address shared challenges and societal changes, information sessions on funding opportunities, project development workshops…

There are many ways in which the AER offer and synergies with other activities can match your expectations. Contact us!

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AER Working group on the bioeconomy: first meeting

7 June, 2022 By Johanna Pacevicius

The newly created Working Group on the bioeconomy will meet online for the first time to define its action plan for the coming months. This meeting is open to all AER members

The proposal to develop a working group on the bioeconomy was lead by Innlandet (NO), and is supported by Värmland (SE), Lower Austria (AU), Gelderland (NL).

During this first meeting, AER members interested in sharing experiences and knowledge on the topic of the bioeconomy will:

  • get to know each other (pitch on the region)
  • share why the topic matters for them now
  • share how the working group would create value for them: what they expect, how they would like to contribute
  • define activities for the coming months

The group will also agree on who should be the Chair of the Working Group

 

More information on how to set-up a working group at AER here.

For any questions, please contact AER Coordinator for Policy & Knowledge Transfer Johanna Pacevicius

Photo by Olena Sergienko on Unsplash

Proposal for a Working Group on Bioeconomy adopted

7 April, 2022 By Johanna Pacevicius

The Executive Board which took place on 23 March 2022 adopted the proposal for the creation of an AER working group on the Bioeconomy.

The proposal is led by Innlandet (NO) and is supported by Lower Austria (AU), Gelderland (NL), Värmland (SE).

Skills & knowledge at the heart of the development of the Bioeconomy

It is estimated that the bioeconomy contributes to almost 9% of the EU-27 labour force and 4.7% of the EU-27 GDP1. As a concrete operationalisation of the bioeconomy, more than 2,300 bio-based plants have been mapped by the Joint Research Centre across Europe.

To fully reap the economic, social and environmental benefits of the bioeconomy, dedicated bioeconomy strategies, investments and innovation are required at all levels in the EU. That is why the updated European Bioeconomy Strategy of 2018 states the need for the development of national and regional bioeconomy strategies.

However, this needs heavy investment in knowledge, competency, and know-how and collaboration with vocational education and the industry. There is a need to recruit, train, retain skills, in particular in rural areas, where the industries are located.

Proposed activities

The main goal of the working group is to share knowledge, experience, and best practises. Other activities may be included, such as:

  • Arrange events in Europe through AER, on the topic of the bioeconomy, with a “glocal” focus
  • Develop policy briefs, best practices, and research/insight.
  • Develop small scale projects and large-scale projects such as CoVE

The Working Group is open to all AER members

If you are interested in collaborating with this working group, please fill in this short questionnaire so we know you better and can contact you. Working groups are exclusively for AER members. If you have any questions, you can contact AER Coordinator for Policy & Knowledge Exchange Johanna Pacevicius.

Next steps

A first meeting will soon be convened and announced on the AER website, to get to know each other, specify interests, identify joint activities, agree on collaboration, and chose a Chair for the working group.

The proposal, which was adopted by the AER Executive Board can be found here.

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