From fossil fuels to a bio-based economy: identifying the rationales for policy intervention

Abstract

The concept of the bioeconomy is gaining in political importance in Norway and elsewhere in the world; moving from fossil-based to bio-based products and energy is considered to be important in tackling multiple societal problems, from climate change to food security, from health to industrial restructuring. At the same time, there are several important concerns and trade-offs inherent within the area of the bioeconomy, especially linked to the sustainability aspects of the extraction and use of biomass. This policy brief discusses the key perspectives from the contemporary debates on bioeconomy development and summarises the academic views on what may legitimise policy interventions for transformative change.