About the Bioeconomy

The bioeconomy, as described in the updated EU bioeconomy strategy, covers all sectors (including agriculture, horticulture, forestry, fisheries and aquaculture) and systems (including nature, land, food, energy, built environment and health). It is the part of the economy that uses renewable biological resources such as animals, plants, micro-organisms, and derived biomass and organic waste to produce food, feed, bio-based products, energy and services, while also reducing waste.

The bioeconomy offers society a path to apply knowledge, science, technology, and innovation as sustainable solutions to how we use and consume our biological resources, which respects nature and increases social equality by reducing our use of fossil resources and developing green practices, products, and local jobs in places where we wish to live.

The bioeconomy is a key part of the circular economy and therefore development in this area, as set out in the Circular Economy Strategy 2022-2023 is seen as an enabler for the Circular Economy Act 2022. It is also seen as a natural enabler to help achieve a 51% reduction in overall greenhouse gas emissions by 2030 and to get on a path to reach net-zero emissions by no later than 2050, as per commitments in the Programme for Government, Item was unpublished or removed and the Climate Act 2021.

Interactive Bioeconomy Ireland Map

To find out more about the how we can develop a bioeconomy society, explore this interactive map produced by BiOrbic in partnership with the Irish Bioeconomy Network.

Contact us

For more information on the Bioeconomy in Ireland, please contact:

The Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine at research@agriculture.gov.ie

and

The Department of Environment, Climate and Communication at bioeconomy@decc.gov.ie