{"id":141933,"date":"2025-05-07T11:20:21","date_gmt":"2025-05-07T09:20:21","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/euro-funding.com\/?p=141933"},"modified":"2026-04-07T09:18:42","modified_gmt":"2026-04-07T07:18:42","slug":"the-circular-bioeconomy-where-the-bioeconomy-and-the-circular-economy-converge","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/euro-funding.wp2.rwdesarrollos2.es\/en\/blog\/the-circular-bioeconomy-where-the-bioeconomy-and-the-circular-economy-converge\/","title":{"rendered":"The Circular Bioeconomy: Where the Bioeconomy and the Circular Economy Converge"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t
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Bioeconom\u00eda Circular: convergencia estrat\u00e9gica entre la econom\u00eda circular y la bioeconom\u00eda<\/h1>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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\"\"<\/a><\/div>
Fernando G\u00f3mez<\/span><\/a>(<\/span> Technical Manager - European Funds )<\/span><\/span><\/div>

Fernando G\u00f3mez es Technical Manager \u2013 EU Projects en Euro-Funding<\/strong> desde 2020, con experiencia coordinando propuestas europeas de I+D+i. Especialista en financiaci\u00f3n europea<\/strong>, ha actuado como Technical Manager <\/strong>en programas como Horizon Europe, MSCA, ERC, EIC, LIFE, CBE, Eurostars, Clean Hydrogen, CEF o Innovation Fund<\/strong>, entre otros, y ha coordinado proyectos como REALIZE<\/strong> y ATM-EXCITE<\/strong>. Con m\u00e1s de 17 a\u00f1os de experiencia, ha desempe\u00f1ado funciones de R&D Project Manager<\/strong> en entidades de referencia como HM Hospitales, IMDEA y CIB-CSIC<\/strong>, adem\u00e1s de contar con una s\u00f3lida experiencia previa en bioenerg\u00eda y energ\u00edas renovables<\/strong>. Es evaluador experto<\/strong> para la Comisi\u00f3n Europea (H2020 y Horizon Europe) y para EUREKA<\/strong>, as\u00ed como mentor certificado de startups<\/strong> por la Fundaci\u00f3n Madri+d y asesor acreditado por ACCI\u00d3<\/strong> en los \u00e1mbitos de bioenerg\u00eda y econom\u00eda circular<\/strong>. Es licenciado en Biolog\u00eda Molecular<\/strong> y cuenta con m\u00e1steres en Energ\u00edas Renovables<\/strong> y Econom\u00eda Circular<\/strong>, adem\u00e1s de formaci\u00f3n especializada en gesti\u00f3n de proyectos de I+D+i.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>

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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.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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Reduce, Reuse and Recycle: Circular Economy<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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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<\/span><\/strong>\u2014but this must be done coherently and carefully to ensure that resources are used more productively and efficiently.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t

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Bioeconomy: Innovation and Natural Resources<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t
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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 \u201cClosing the Loop \u2013 An EU Action Plan for the Circular Economy.\u201d<\/em> 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.<\/p>

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.<\/p>

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.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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The Birth of the Circular Bioeconomy<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t
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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\u2014but this must be done coherently and carefully to ensure that resources are used more productively and efficiently.<\/p>

Paul Stegmann<\/span><\/strong> 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.<\/em><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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The use of biomass as a resource is the central point of intersection between the bioeconomy and the circular economy<\/strong><\/span><\/a>. 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.<\/p>

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).<\/p>

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<\/span> <\/a>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 Hetem\u00e4ki et al., 2017).<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t

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Funding Programmes Related to Bioeconomy, Circular Economy and Circular Bioeconomy<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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