During the first reporting period of the CALIMERO project, significant milestones were achieved, marking a pivotal step towards enhancing sustainability within the bio-based sectors. The project commenced with the establishment of a robust data collection process, meticulously designed to capture environmental, social, and economic aspects across the target sectors. This involved a comprehensive review of existing practices and state-of-the-art methodologies, laying the groundwork for informed decision-making.
In parallel, a thorough hotspot analysis was conducted, identifying key industrial processes within the bio-based sectors. This analysis informed the selection of case studies, ensuring a focused approach to address critical sustainability challenges effectively.
Furthermore, the project identified and characterized major methodological gaps in life cycle sustainability assessment, with a specific focus on key criteria such as biodiversity, ecosystem services, toxicity characterization factors, and dynamic carbon footprint. By leveraging the Product Environmental Footprint methodology as a foundation, CALIMERO aims to advance sustainability assessment practices to encompass a broader spectrum of impacts.
One of the most notable achievements of the reporting period was the development of a conceptual framework, embodied in a Theory of Change. This framework serves as a collaborative network, uniting diverse stakeholders to tackle sustainability challenges through four strategic pathways: regenerative optimization, integration and transparency, collaboration and adaptive governance, and balancing biobased demand. This innovative approach sets the stage for holistic and inclusive sustainability solutions.
Lastly, the project successfully applied a prototyped multi-objective optimization framework to a case study within a bio-based sector, demonstrating the practical application of advanced methodologies. This milestone underscores CALIMERO's commitment to driving tangible progress towards sustainable industrial processes within the bio-based sectors.
Overall, the achievements of the first reporting period signify a significant stride towards realizing the vision of a more sustainable and resilient bio-based economy, positioning CALIMERO as a pioneering force in the field of sustainability innovation.
