Investment gaps to achieve sustainable targets in the bioeconomy

Abstract

The bioeconomy contributes €967 billion annually to the European Union, representing 8.6% of GDP and supporting 16.9% of EU jobs. It constitutes a cornerstone of the Union’s economic resilience and its innovation, competitiveness and sustainability agenda. Moreover, the bioeconomy is integral to the European Green Deal and the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), underpinning efforts to ensure food security, advance climate adaptation, safeguard biodiversity, and enable the transition to a low-carbon economy. Yet despite this, investment in the bioeconomy falls short by an estimated €121.8 billion a year in Europe and as much as $777 billion a year globally. This report examines the state of the bioeconomy, the structural drivers of the investment gap, and innovative financing mechanisms to mobilize the capital required to realise its full potential.