Bioenergy Europe has joined a new group of 14 European Union (EU) trade associations, who collectively launched a cross-sectoral coalition today (28 March).
The other members include providers of high-quality wood-based products, fibre-based paper and board products and packaging, and renewable energy solution providers, and the initiative is supported by EU forest owners and managers
The coalition aims to present EU policymakers with an ambitious common vision ahead of 2030 and, beyond that, an effective transition towards a circular bioeconomy.
It has released a paper detailing common challenges, needs and solutions. This paper is supported by a further six associations linked with the forestry sector.
Bioenergy Europe said that now, more than ever, is the time to embed the circular bioeconomy into EU policy to form a fully integrated, resilient European value chain.
Jointly, the members of the "broadest coalition yet representing these value chains" represent 3% of the EU's gross domestic product (GDP), €520 billion in turnover and 20% of the bloc's manufacturing companies.
Consequently, they are an integrated part of the EU's bioeconomy, using local renewably sourced materials, made and recycled in Europe, and using European technology.
Observing that their contribution could go much further, Bioenergy Europe said the coalition hopes to work with EU institutions to help create an enabling policy environment so that their respective sectors can collectively reach climate change mitigation equivalent to 30% of EU annual CO2 emissions. In 2019, this figure was 20%.
The trade association added that the coalition's ambition will require a consolidation of the EU’s global leadership as a provider of sustainable and competitive alternative solutions for today, and innovative opportunities for tomorrow.
Europe’s wood and fibre-based value chains are widely considered a laboratory for the future circular bioeconomy, added Bioenergy Europe.
In order to be climate neutral by 2050, the EU needs to work with the coalition to accelerate the uptake of bio-products, encourage investments in green technologies for production processes and supply chains and support a shift towards sustainable consumption while putting in place policies to boost the competitiveness of sustainable manufacturing industries, continued the organisation.
The competitiveness of the overall European industry has been impacted by the energy crunch and issues related to the supply of strategic raw materials.
Wood-based products, fibre-based paper and board products and packaging, and renewable energy solutions, offer resilience and ensure European strategic autonomy and competitiveness via the sustainable management of sources of valuable raw materials, and secondary raw materials and related technology, said Bioenergy Europe.
“Renewable solutions like bioenergy are based on sustainable biomass products that form a key part of the wood-based value-chain and the EU’s bioeconomy, and it is high time that EU policymakers finally recognised it as such,” commented Jean-Marc Jossart, secretary general of Bioenergy Europe.
“This coalition of like-minded associations strongly believes that we can significantly contribute to the mitigation of fossil fuel emissions by 2030.”
Download the paper Circular Choices for a Competitive EU Bioeconomy here.
Bioenergy Europe joins new bioeconomy-focused coalition
