New coalition for a more competitive and ambitious bioeconomy in the EU
A new group of 14 EU trade associations, including suppliers of high-quality wood-based products, fiber paper and cardboard products and packaging, and renewable energy solutions, supported by EU forest owners and managers, has launched a cross-sector coalition. The coalition's aim is to present EU policymakers with an ambitious common vision for 2030, which goes beyond a transition to a circular bioeconomy. Now more than ever is the time to anchor the circular bioeconomy in EU policy as a fully integrated, resilient European value chain. The coalition has made public a document describing common challenges, needs and solutions. It is also supported by a further 6 associations related to the forestry sector.
This is the broadest coalition representing these value chains to date. Collectively, its members represent 3% of the EU's GDP, €520 billion in turnover and 20% of its manufacturing companies. They are an integral part of the EU bioeconomy, using local materials from renewable sources, made and recycled in Europe, and using European technology. But their contribution can go much further. They hope to work with the EU institutions to create an enabling policy environment for their sectors to jointly achieve climate change mitigation equivalent to 30% of the EU's annual CO2 emissions. In 2019, this figure was 20%.
The coalition's ambition requires consolidating the EU's global leadership as a provider of sustainable and competitive alternative solutions for today and innovative opportunities for tomorrow. Europe's wood and fibre-based value chains are widely regarded as a laboratory for the future circular bioeconomy.
To reach climate neutrality by 2050, the EU must work with the Coalition to accelerate the uptake of bioproducts, encourage investments in green technologies for production processes and supply chains, and support a shift towards sustainable consumption, while putting in place policies to to strengthen the competitiveness of sustainable manufacturing industries.
The competitiveness of the entire European industry has been affected by the energy crisis and problems with the supply of strategic raw materials. Wood-based products, fiber-based paper and board products and packaging, and renewable energy solutions provide resilience and ensure European strategic autonomy and competitiveness through sustainable management of sources of valuable raw materials, secondary raw materials and related technologies.
Source: Bioenergyeurope.org
