Project description
Developing innovative methodologies for a safe transition to bioeconomy
Addressing challenges and introducing innovative methodologies are essential for achieving enhanced sustainability and efficient economies. The challenge of transitioning away from fossil resources and embracing energy and social transformations is of utmost importance. However, it is accompanied by a multifaceted issue. The growing demand for biomass throughout the conversion process could potentially lead to adverse environmental impacts and, if not executed correctly, result in increased emissions and waste. In this context, the MSCA-funded DESTINY project will create the requisite tools and methodologies, rendering such challenges more attainable, streamlined, and environmentally sound. It will also provide specialised training to young researchers training for their PhD.
Objective
Developing the bioeconomy features high on the European policy agenda to tackle societal challenges such as climate change, the phasing out of fossil resources or the advent of the much needed ecological and energy transitions. However, transitioning into an economy based on regionally available biological resources will substantially increase the demand for biomass from forestry and agriculture, and may incur adverse effects on biodiversity, greenhouse gas emissions or water resources. Comprehensive, rigorous and transparent assessment procedures are thus required to ensure that the bioeconomy will deliver on its sustainability promise.
Assessment methodologies have so far failed to embrace the various dimensions of sustainability and the multiple facets and stakeholders of bioeconomy systems. This lack of an integrated, holistic approach constitutes the key scientific question that DESTINY will address, by developing novel methods and tools as well as demonstrating how they can be mobilised to maximise systems performance in a range of generic value-chain cases-studies.
Since such concepts mobilise a number of disciplines from agronomy and engineering to economics, political and social sciences, a novel type of scientist is warranted : the bioeconomist. The DESTINY doctoral network will train this new generation of researchers and practitioners through a multi-disciplinary curriculum, equipping 15 Doctoral Candidates with the knowledge they need to design and assess novel biomass production systems and bio-product value-chains. In their research programme at the crossroads between bioeconomy and sustainability science, these candidates will design sustainable bioeconomy systems for Europe, factoring in social, economic and governance aspects. DESTINY graduates will bridge a well-evidenced gap on the labour market for the bioeconomy and will secure jobs in the agricultural and forestry sectors, the bioeconmy industry, academia, consultancies and governments.
Fields of science
- natural sciencesearth and related environmental sciencesenvironmental sciencessustainability sciences
- social scienceseconomics and businesseconomicsbioeconomy
- social scienceseconomics and businessbusiness and managementemployment
- agricultural sciencesagricultural biotechnologybiomass
- agricultural sciencesagriculture, forestry, and fisheriesforestry
Keywords
Programme(s)
- HORIZON.1.2 - Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions (MSCA) Main Programme
Coordinator
91120 Palaiseau
France