Within the framework of the Global Bioeconomy Summit 2020, Holger Gerdes and Zoritza Kiresiewa, together with the POWER4BIO project, organized a breakout session on "Local-Level Bioeconomy" on 18 November 2020. This session formed part of the workshop "Rebooting the economy – sustainability, growth, and climate action delivered by the bioeconomy," which the European Commission's DG RTD hosted in collaboration with BE-Rural, POWER4BIO, and other partners. Holger and Zoritza took charge of the program design: they introduced BE-Rural, implemented participatory methods, and coordinated the flow via digital platforms so that more than 30 participants engaged interactively.

Content and Discussion

Following brief project presentations by Christine Beusch (EPC), Laura Garcia (DBFZ), and Zoritza Kiresiewa, Holger and Zoritza led the discussion on how local bioeconomy strategies can link economic recovery and climate action in the post-COVID-19 era. In the first survey, they asked participants about the role of bioenergy (e.g., biogas from organic residues or pyrolysis oil) in reducing greenhouse gas emissions. Next, they moderated the debate on trade-offs between environmental, social, and economic goals: the group identified biodiversity loss and food security as top challenges and shared practical examples – such as the Netherlands' sustainability rules for biomass. In the final section, they guided the conversation toward best practices for strengthening regional bioeconomies: the majority named official government support, project funding, and local collaboration platforms as key factors, while emphasizing that education in sustainability and biodiversity remains critical for future workforce needs.

Results and Outlook

Holger Gerdes and Zoritza Kiresiewa moderated the discussion sessions in a way that encouraged representatives from research, administration, industry, and civil society to contribute actively. The guiding questions and recommendations they helped develop – such as nutrient recycling through algae cultivation or early stakeholder involvement – were summarized at the end by rapporteur Elsa João. In doing so, Holger and Zoritza showcased BE-Rural's insights to an international expert audience and advanced dialogue on regional bioeconomy strategies across Europe.

The Global Bioeconomy Summit 2020 took place fully online from 16 to 20 November 2020, bringing together around 3 000 participants from politics, science, industry, and civil society across more than 50 countries.