Towards a just bioeconomy
Lessons from emerging bio-based value chains in Spain, Colombia and Namibia
S. van der Veen (TU Delft - BT/Biotechnology and Society)
P. Osseweijer – Promotor (TU Delft - BT/Biotechnology and Society)
L. Asveld – Promotor (TU Delft - BT/Biotechnology and Society, TU Delft - Ethics & Philosophy of Technology)
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Abstract
This dissertation investigates how emerging bio-based value chains (BBVCs) can be developed to account for the needs, knowledge, skills, and values of all relevant actors. Particular attention is given to stakeholders at the beginning of the value chain, who play a critical role yet are often overlooked in the design, development, and improvement of (bio-based) value chains.
The transition to a bioeconomy, where biomass replaces fossil resources to produce energy and materials, is expected not only to contribute significantly to tackling climate change but also to generate socio-economic and environmental benefits in biomass-producing regions. While technological innovation is a key driver of this transition, achieving a sustainable bioeconomy requires a broader societal transformation involving multiple stakeholders who both shape and are affected by how the bioeconomy is developed and governed. Although new BBVCs can create opportunities for producers to diversify income and improve practices, they have also been criticized for negative environmental and social consequences. Ensuring that BBVCs realize their potential, therefore, depends on understanding how they can be developed in ways that are both sustainable and socially equitable. This is especially critical for rural contexts in the Global South, where a large part of the available biomass is produced and where poverty and socio-economic exclusion are widespread, particularly among smallholder farmers.
By studying three diverse cases of prospective BBVCs based on waste biomass - olive oil residues in Spain, coffee and cocoa residues in Colombia, and encroacher bush in Namibia - this research provides insights into the social dynamics that shape the potential for a just bioeconomy transition. The central research question of this dissertation is: How to develop secure, inclusive, and sustainable bio-based value chains that take into account the needs, knowledge, skills, and values of all relevant actors, with special attention to actors at the beginning of the chain?