What is the Bioeconomy?

The bioeconomy is widely recognized as a potential pathway to a post-fossil future, as is the awareness that significant challenges must be addressed along this path. However, there is general uncertainty about the extent to which existing conditions need to be changed, that is, how substantial and far-reaching these challenges are.

On the one hand, it is argued that replacing non-renewable resources with renewable ones would fundamentally solve sustainability issues. On the other hand, it is countered that there are not enough renewable resources available for this purpose. In this context, the potential of technological progress and the distribution of resources through free markets are weighed against the absolute limits of growth and the footprint of individual lifestyles. Ultimately, this leads to a debate about the right use of scarce resources. Beyond the natural and engineering science aspects, the bioeconomy thus also exists as an ongoing normative discourse, in which values are renegotiated and discussions are held about the appropriate and responsible use of technology and resources.

The BOKU Bioeconomy Understanding

The topic of bioeconomy has engaged BOKU for many years, both implicitly from the very beginning (forestry and agriculture are core elements of the bioeconomy, with Bodenkultur serving as its foundation) and explicitly since the 2010s, when the topic was taken up by several scientific initiatives and incorporated into the BOKU Development Plan 2015. Inter- and later national political frameworks (particularly the EU Bioeconomy Strategy 2012/2018 and the Austrian Bioeconomy Strategy 2019) provided the university with the opportunity to position itself as a pioneer in this field.

As a result, the Ethics Platform extensively explored the multifaceted meanings of the term and raised awareness of the ecological and societal impacts of the bioeconomy through a series of events and, in 2017, with a paper on "goals and criteria for the bioeconomy". The subsequent development plans and performance agreements consistently highlighted the risks of a narrowly defined bioeconomy and agreed on a stronger consideration of the societal integration of the bioeconomy, as well as the promotion of research relevant to this area.

In 2024, the normative discourse is explicitly continued by the Center for Bioeconomy, founded in 2019, which subjects the declarations of intent to thorough examination. In close coordination with the Bioeconomy Working Group of the Ethics Platform, current developments at BOKU and the state of the international scientific bioeconomy discourse are consolidated into a document that invites all members of BOKU to actively participate in the discourse as part of the "BOKU Understanding of Bioeconomy." With the exception of one dissenting opinion, the draft received broad approval in the feedback.

 

(Disclaimer: The english version is an automated translation and has not been formulated with the same rigor as the german original)

BOKU Bioeconomy Understanding (May 2025)

Why a BOKU Bioeconomy Understanding?

Derived from a scientific analysis of the environmental impacts of economic activity, the bioeconomy was originally conceived as a blueprint for a post-growth society. Since the turn of the millennium, the bioeconomy has gained momentum as a political project, but it is communicated as an engine of economic growth. Between these two approaches lies a broad spectrum of interpretations of the bioeconomy, within which sometimes contradictory implementation paths have emerged. The BOKU understanding of the bioeconomy fulfills several functions within this field:

  • It provides a point of orientation for research and teaching and serves as a foundation for strategic decisions in university administration and leadership.
  • It initiates and catalyzes a participatory discourse, thereby raising awareness among researchers, educators, and students.
  • A shared understanding continuously supports functional and interconnected structures and enables the evaluation of research objectives.
  • The BOKU understanding of the bioeconomy sets guiding impulses within the scientific community, catalyzes the development of a sustainable bioeconomy, and contributes to responsible research.

Through the further development of the discourse:

  • The conceptual changes made in strategic documents can be integrated across the entire BOKU.
  • A moderated and documented process can harmonize the results with related processes.
  • This enables the effective implementation of the university's strategic initiatives, allowing it to better fulfill its societal mission as the "University of Life."

The BOKU understanding of the bioeconomy serves as a guide to position research, teaching, and development, and creates an interdisciplinary communication platform. The process of developing this understanding itself already contributes to making the bioeconomy tangible and comprehensible, as well as unlocking its potential for specific applications. It aims to encourage members of BOKU to engage with the bioeconomy and its relevance to their own work and study areas, as well as the relevance of their fields to the bioeconomy.