Enabling transition towards circular and systemic BIOeconomy model regions by a Regions-to-Regions approach

Project Information

BIO2REG

Grant agreement ID: 101135420

DOI

10.3030/101135420

EC signature date 13 October 2023

Start date 1 January 2024

End date 31 December 2026

Funded under

• Food, Bioeconomy Natural Resources, Agriculture and Environment

Total cost

No data

EU contribution

€ 1 977 398,33

Coordinated by

FORSCHUNGSZENTRUM JULICH GMBH
Germany

Periodic Reporting for period 1 - BIO2REG (Enabling transition towards circular and systemic BIOeconomy model regions by a Regions-to-Regions approach)

Reporting period: 2024-01-01 to 2025-06-30

Summary of the context and overall objectives of the project

Across Europe, regions reliant on greenhouse gas-intensive industries - such as coal mining, intensive agriculture, forestry, and fisheries - are facing a critical turning point. As the continent accelerates toward a climate-neutral, sustainable future, these regions are under pressure to undergo deep structural changes. The transition is often fraught with challenges: economic disruption, rising unemployment, social tension, and growing regional disparities. Without targeted support and a clear roadmap, many of these areas risk being left behind in the green transition.
BIO2REG was established in direct response to this context. The bioeconomy offers regionally adapted, sustainable bio-based solutions that can help address these challenges by fostering innovation, creating new economic opportunities, and supporting just transitions. As a European-funded project, BIO2REG seeks to empower carbon-intensive regions with the tools, knowledge, and networks needed to become circular bioeconomy model regions.

A circular bioeconomy uses renewable biological resources and innovative technologies to produce food, materials, and energy. When tailored to the regional specificities, the circular bioeconomy can foster new value chains, create quality jobs, support ecosystem restoration, and strengthen regional resilience. What is unique to BIO2REG is its "regions-to-regions" approach, which prioritises mutual learning and acknowledges that each transition pathway must be context-specific and regionally rooted. It emphasises the integration of a region’s resources, stakeholders, socio-economic conditions, and innovation ecosystems, as well as the entire regional bioeconomy system, from primary sectors and value chains, governance structures, research, and education.

To drive regional bioeconomy transformation, BIO2REG equips stakeholders with practical guides, best practices, and provides self-assessment tools, alongside a structured framework to evaluate bioeconomy potentials, build capacities in regions and foster collaboration through an interregional network and a guided exchange.

Through this collaborative informed process, BIO2REG aims to:
• Facilitate the systemic shift toward circular and sustainable bioeconomy across Europe by equipping regional stakeholders with tools and knowledge;
• Reduce socio-economic disparities between regions through growth and innovation;
• Support the development and uptake of innovative, sustainable value chains in the bio-based sectors.

Work performed from the beginning of the project to the end of the period covered by the report and main results achieved so far

During the first Reporting Period (RP), BIO2REG focused on developing core outputs to support regions’ transition towards a circular and systemic bioeconomy, and to prepare knowledge, tools, and guides for the stakeholder activation phase in RP2 (Jul 25 - Dec 26).

A regionalisation concept was developed and validated through internal and expert workshops, forming the basis for transition planning of GHG-intensive regions towards bioeconomy model regions. 64 best practices from model regions across Europe were identified and compiled into a stakeholder guide. These were gathered through desk research, five expert workshops on key topics (value chains, funding, education, social sustainability, living labs and research infrastructures), exchanges with past and ongoing projects, participation at key events, 14 semi-structured interviews with companies, and validation by regional stakeholders in network events.

A Multi-Criteria Assessment (MCA) framework was designed to help regions assess their bioeconomy potential. An initial pool of 876 indicators was identified, classified, and filtered according to relevance and data availability. The MCA was further refined in workshops, validated with stakeholders, presented at conferences, and finalised in a stakeholder guide. Additional outputs included a database of 56 user-friendly stakeholder tools, an impact evaluation framework, and a policy brief with recommendations on regional governance structures for bioeconomy transition.

Five regional network events were held to activate stakeholders and shape the future BIO2REG network. Initial training materials, webinars, and network activation formats were planned.
An interregional exchange instrument was drafted and discussed with stakeholders during regional events. Technical support to BioFairNet demonstration actions was initiated through participation in the kick-off, online exchanges, and drafting the support plan.

Progress beyond the state of the art and expected potential impact (including the socio-economic impact and the wider societal implications of the project so far)

BIO2REG goes beyond the current state of the art by offering a systemic, regionally adapted, and practical approach to bioeconomy transitions in GHG-intensive regions, embedded in the regional development perspective. It enables regions as drivers for bioeconomy transition by building capacities of regional stakeholders and providing practical resources: a validated regionalisation concept, a Multi-Criteria Assessment framework, a collection of 64 best practices, and training and mentoring activities. Combined with an interregional network for collaboration and an exchange instrument for regions, these help stakeholders to plan and implement circular and systemic bioeconomy measures aligned with regional development priorities.

The project addresses not only bio-based and circular value chains, but also education, social sustainability, innovation ecosystems, and all areas where the bioeconomy can create tangible regional impact. By linking bioeconomy measures directly to regional development priorities, stakeholders are supported to identify and implement solutions that are relevant and actionable in their own region.

Capacity building is strengthened through the interregional network that engages regional stakeholders, fosters peer learning and provides guidance, while the exchange instrument further enables collaboration, site visits, and mentoring. It also includes policy recommendations to address practical challenges and needs of regions in their bioeconomy transition, to provide guidance for supportive frameworks at regional, national, and EU levels.

For long-term impact, sustaining and expanding the network, continuing policy dialogue at all levels, and supporting regions with targeted funding, capacity building, and a favourable regulatory environment will be essential.

juelich-annual-meeting.png

iceland-site-visit.png

bio2reg-tools.jpg

iceland-workshop.png