Approaches to strengthening the bioeconomy in Germany, the United States and Asia

As the world approaches a population of over 9 billion people and is affected by climate change, raw material shortages and supply chain problems, the bioeconomy is becoming increasingly important. This has put strategies and measures for achieving a sustainable bioeconomy, which relies more and more on the use of renewable raw materials, on the global agenda. There are also a growing number of regional or cross-regional initiatives that promote the bioeconomy. The following compares the steps that Germany, the United States and selected Asian countries have taken to support the industrial bioeconomy. It becomes clear that the respective strategies and measures to advance the bioeconomy often differ in terms of their scope, rationale and objectives. The United States and Asian countries like India and China are focusing on biotechnology and synthetic biology that benefit the world’s growing population by providing a more efficient use of resources, new forms of energy production, and breakthroughs in medical care and nutrition. In contrast, Germany and other EU countries are focusing more strongly on efficiently using biomass as a sustainable resource. In German and European policy papers, biotechnology is only seen as one option among many to achieve a transformation from a fossil-based economy to a bio-based economy, a bioeconomy.