What characterized a monitoring system that effectively considered aspects of precautionary environmental protection? The aim of this project was to answer this question with regard to the new German bioeconomy strategy.

The German government aimed at a transformation process towards a sustainable and bio-based economy. The path towards a bioeconomy held numerous opportunities, but at the same time posed diverse requirements in a wide range of areas and sectors. A number of questions of a technological, economic, ecological, social and political nature arose, the relevance and effects of which needed to be investigated.

The aim of the UBA research project was to develop relevant and meaningful bioeconomy indicators in this context, with a focus on sustainability and the protection of natural systems. These indicators were to be incorporated into a "bioeconomy monitoring system" and made available to all relevant stakeholders.

Project activities

The project was divided into five interlinked work packages. First, in WP 1, the knowledge base for the project was established by collecting the latest information on international, European and national bioeconomy monitoring systems and by evaluating existing monitoring systems. Subsequently, in WP 2, indicators and indicator systems from the field of biomass use and related areas were evaluated to determine whether they were suitable for a monitoring concept for the bioeconomy. WP 3 analyzed in more detail how, and with which indicators, a consideration of environmental aspects in the monitoring of the federal government's bioeconomy was possible.

From the results and findings of the previous steps, recommendations for action for the further development of bioeconomy monitoring as well as for the implementation and further development of the bioeconomy strategy, with a special focus on environmental protection and nature conservation, were derived in WP 4. In order to effectively communicate the project results to stakeholders, the most important information was compiled and prepared for experts and decision makers in WP 5.

The role of Ecologic Institute

Ecologic Institute acted as the project leader and carried out an independent analysis and evaluation of the existing monitoring systems and developed recommendations for action. The project consortium consisted of Ecologic Institute, ifeu and UFZ.