Bioeconomía Circular: convergencia estratégica entre la economía circular y la bioeconomía
Fernando Gómez es Technical Manager – EU Projects en Euro-Funding desde 2020, con experiencia coordinando propuestas europeas de I+D+i. Especialista en financiación europea, ha actuado como Technical Manager en programas como Horizon Europe, MSCA, ERC, EIC, LIFE, CBE, Eurostars, Clean Hydrogen, CEF o Innovation Fund, entre otros, y ha coordinado proyectos como REALIZE y ATM-EXCITE. Con más de 17 años de experiencia, ha desempeñado funciones de R&D Project Manager en entidades de referencia como HM Hospitales, IMDEA y CIB-CSIC, además de contar con una sólida experiencia previa en bioenergía y energías renovables. Es evaluador experto para la Comisión Europea (H2020 y Horizon Europe) y para EUREKA, así como mentor certificado de startups por la Fundación Madri+d y asesor acreditado por ACCIÓ en los ámbitos de bioenergía y economía circular. Es licenciado en Biología Molecular y cuenta con másteres en Energías Renovables y Economía Circular, además de formación especializada en gestión de proyectos de I+D+i.
Both the bioeconomy and the circular economy have gained increasing attention over the past decade. Towards the end of this period, a concept began to emerge that combined key elements of both frameworks: the circular bioeconomy. Let us first understand the origins of both concepts from the perspective of EU policy, before examining how they intersect.
Reduce, Reuse and Recycle: Circular Economy
The circular bioeconomy lies at the intersection of two concepts that, as we have seen, have developed in parallel throughout the past decade. Both policy agendas share overlapping goals and intervention areas. It makes sense to create synergies to merge models and strategies—but this must be done coherently and carefully to ensure that resources are used more productively and efficiently.
Bioeconomy: Innovation and Natural Resources
The European Commission presented its first Circular Economy Action Plan in 2015. This package included several amendments to existing legislation on waste treatment and recycling, as well as a communication titled “Closing the Loop – An EU Action Plan for the Circular Economy.” In this document, the circular economy is defined as one in which the value of products, materials, and resources is maintained for as long as possible, and waste generation is minimised.
In the circular economy model, the traditional linear production system (take, make, use, and dispose) is replaced by a circular model in which materials remain within the system for as long as possible. The circular economy aims to increase the proportion of renewable or recyclable resources, reduce raw material and energy consumption, and protect the environment by minimising emissions and secondary flows.
In 2020, the EC adopted a new Circular Economy Action Plan as one of the key pillars of the European Green Deal. This updated plan considers the entire lifecycle of products and focuses on resource-intensive sectors where circularity potential is highest: electronics and ICT, batteries and vehicles, packaging, plastics, textiles, construction and buildings, food, water and nutrients.
The Birth of the Circular Bioeconomy
The circular bioeconomy lies at the intersection of two concepts that, as we have seen, have developed in parallel throughout the past decade. Both policy agendas share overlapping goals and intervention areas. It makes sense to create synergies to merge models and strategies—but this must be done coherently and carefully to ensure that resources are used more productively and efficiently.
Paul Stegmann et al. (2020) proposed the following definition, based on key elements found in previous literature:
The circular bioeconomy focuses on the sustainable and efficient valorisation of biomass through integrated, multi-product production chains (e.g., biorefineries), while also making use of waste and optimising the value of biomass over time through cascading processes.
The use of biomass as a resource is the central point of intersection between the bioeconomy and the circular economy. Growing concerns over the disruption of food chains and other sustainability issues have led to a shift towards using biomass categorised as co-products, by-products, and waste (e.g., forest thinning residues or the organic fraction of municipal solid waste). Using residual biomass streams as feedstock for bioproducts can result in a drastic reduction of global waste.
This aligns closely with the circular economy model: mitigating reliance on virgin materials, keeping materials in the system for longer, closing loops, and increasing resource productivity. At the same time, the aim is to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by using renewable rather than fossil raw materials (OECD, 2018).
An additional point to note is that the circular economy typically focuses on urban and industrial processes, while the bioeconomy is more concerned with innovation based on biological resources in predominantly rural contexts. The concept of the circular bioeconomy brings together these two trends and links urban and rural communities (Lauri Hetemäki et al., 2017).
Funding Programmes Related to Bioeconomy, Circular Economy and Circular Bioeconomy
- Circular Bio-based Europe Joint Undertaking (CBE JU):
Successor to the former Bio-based Industries Joint Undertaking (BBI JU), CBE JU will invest €2 billion over the coming years to unlock the potential of the circular bioeconomy in Europe. - LIFE – Circular Economy and Quality of Life Sub-programme:
This sub-programme supports projects offering innovative solutions for high-value recycled materials, components, or products and value chains outlined in the EU Circular Economy Action Plan. - Horizon Europe – Cluster 6 (Food, Bioeconomy, Natural Resources, Agriculture and Environment):
Cluster 6 funds projects aimed at better managing natural resources through transformative changes in both urban and rural economies and societies. - PERTE for Circular Economy (Spain):
The upcoming aid lines under this Strategic Project for Economic Recovery and Transformation (PERTE), with a budget of €492 million, aim to reduce waste generation, promote treatment plants for recovery and reuse, and digitalise the full waste management cycle. Two types of actions are covered:- Sector-specific interventions to improve global indicators (textiles, plastics, and renewable energy equipment)
- Cross-sectoral interventions for the remaining economic sectors
- Aid for Implementation of Waste Regulations (Spain):
Following the April 2021 Sectoral Environmental Conference agreement, Spain’s autonomous communities are issuing calls for funding to support separate waste collection and the construction of bio-waste treatment and reuse/recycling facilities.
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