Bioeconomy: a transformative step towards sustainability or threat to biodiversity and social justice?

The concepts of ‘biodiversity economy’ and ‘bioeconomy’ are both gaining international traction. While they sound similar, they actually mean quite different things.

Most significantly, not all interpretations of bioeconomy are good for biodiversity. Similarly, green, blue and circular economy all involve varying degrees of dependence on, and support for, biodiversity.

‘Biodiversity economy’, however, has potential to deliver significant progress towards many of the targets under the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework.

The G20 High-Level Principles on Bioeconomy agreed in 2024 have the potential – if applied – to ensure that bioeconomy approaches are good for biodiversity, for social inclusivity and for sustainability.

This is the vision of bioeconomy that is needed if we are to live in harmony with nature.