Engaging Stakeholders and Citizens in the Bioeconomy

BioSTEP Research Recommendations

Publication: Document
Citation: BioSTEP consortium (2018): BioSTEP Research Recommendations - Engaging Stakeholders and Citizens in the Bioeconomy.

Stakeholder and public engagement are key elements of EU policy development, as well as of responsible research and innovation. Over a period of three years, BioSTEP has designed and implemented a wide range of citizen and stakeholder engagement activities regarding the development of Europe's bioeconomy. This paper, edited by Ecologic Institute's Holger Gerdes and Zoritza Kiresiewa, presents a set of research recommendations, which builds on the lessons learned from the application of BioSTEP's participatory tools. The BioSTEP research recommendations are available for download.

BioSTEP's participatory tools ranged from education and information activities to intensive stakeholder dialogues and the co-creation of regional bioeconomy roadmaps. This paper presents a set of recommendations for future effective stakeholder and public engagement in the bioeconomy, aiming to maximise the impact of EU Research & Innovation. BioSTEP’s research recommendations focus on five distinct topics:

Integrating priorities of civil society into bioeconomy research agendas
Developing and testing models for co-creation in the bioeconomy
Communicating complex topics of the bioeconomy to the general public
Analysing the regional transition to the bioeconomy
Ensuring responsible research and inclusive innovation in the bioeconomy

These research recommendations go beyond the bioeconomy and can be applied to other topics where effective stakeholder and public engagement can improve EU policy development, research and innovation.

Engaging Stakeholders and Citizens in the Bioeconomy

Lessons learned from BioSTEP and recommendations for future research

Year 2018

Event:Conference

Over a period of three years the BioSTEP project developed participation tools to involve the public in the development of the European bioeconomy. Different types of participation were sought. During the final conference on 22 February 2018 in Brussels, the participation formats and their possible impact as well as the BioSTEP research recommendations will be presented and discussed. Registrations are possible until 15 February 2018.

Effective Stakeholder and Public Engagement in the Bioeconomy – BioSTEP Conference

22 February 2018
Brussels, Belgium

Presentation:Panel discussion

<p>On 23 May 2017 a CommBeBiz webinar featured a discussion with Ecologic Institute's Holger Gerdes and Zoritza Kiresiewa, on the topic "Creating Networks for the Transition to a Bio-based and Circular Economy." They gave deeper insights into recommendations for effective engagement in the bio-based and circular economy. These recommendations were published in a BioSTEP policy paper, which is available online.</p>

Creating Networks for the Transition to a Bio-based and Circular Economy

23 May 2017
Dr. Zoritza Kiresiewa

Publication:Policy Brief

After two years of research and stakeholder consultation, the BioSTEP consortium, led by Ecologic Institute, finalized the BioSTEP policy paper. This paper concludes five recommendations, aiming to support the revision of the European Bioeconomy Strategy. These recommendations were amended and complemented at the BioSTEP Forum, which was held in Brussels in March 2016. The policy paper is available for download.

Creating Networks for the Transition to a Bio-based and Circular Economy

BioSTEP Policy Paper

Year 2017

Event:Conference

<p>The aim of the conference is to present and discuss the results of the stakeholder engagement activities in BioSTEP and its value to the current policy discussions on the bioeconomy and the circular economy. BioSTEP has analysed in three policy workshops the participation processes that are necessary to build and strengthen the new value chains of the bioeconomy. The policy workshops discussed how bioeconomy strategies can be developed in a participatory way, ensuring that the change of economic value chains, necessary for a transition to a bioeconomy, is understood and supported by all stakeholders.</p>

Creating Networks for the Transition to a Bio-based and Circular Economy – BioSTEP Forum

29 March 2017
Brussels, Belgium

Event:Workshop

The Austrian government is currently in the process of developing a strategy for research, technology and innovation to support the emerging bioeconomy. Following this process, the development of a broader strategy is envisaged that comprises further policy domains and sectors. Against this background, the questions arise regarding what role civil society organisations should play in this process and how they can contribute to shaping the further development of the Austrian bioeconomy.

A Bioeconomy Strategy for Austria: The Role of Civil Society – BioSTEP Policy Workshop

20 January 2017
Graz, Austria

Publication:Case Study

How have stakeholders and citizens participated in the development, implementation and monitoring of regional bioeconomy strategies? How has the involvement of stakeholders and citizens affected the strategies' development, implementation and monitoring? What are good practice examples of stakeholder and citizen participation in national and regional bioeconomy strategies? These and other questions are addressed in this report on regional bioeconomy strategies across Europe, focused on four regional case studies: Scotland, South-West Netherlands, Saxony-Anhalt and Veneto. Ecologic Institute was tasked with researching the Regional Innovation Strategy (RIS) in Saxony-Anhalt (Germany). The report is available for download.

Case Studies of Regional Bioeconomy Strategies across Europe

Year 2016

Event:Workshop

The BioSTEP policy workshop focuses on local and regional businesses and their role in the regional bioeconomy. It explores a broader model of the bioeconomy (bottom-up, participatory) and discusses how small and medium-sized enterprises, civil-society organisations and further relevant actors can be engaged in the (further) development of a regional bioeconomy strategy in Scotland.

Shaping the Scottish Bioeconomy Together – BioSTEP Policy Workshop

18 - 20 October 2016
Glasgow, United Kingdom

Publication:Document

Janssen, Rainer; Zoritza Kiresiewa; Holger Gerdes 2016: Results of the BioSTEP stakeholder consultation. BioSTEP deliverable 4.1.

Results of the BioSTEP Stakeholder Consultation

Year 2016

Language: English
Credits: Editors: Holger Gerdes, Zoritza Kiresiewa (Ecologic Institute)
Layout: Beáta Welk Vargová (Ecologic Institute)
Funding: European Commission, Directorate-General Research & Innovation (DG Research & Innovation), International
Published by: Ecologic Institute, Germany
Year: 2018
Dimension: 16 pp.
Project: Promoting Stakeholder Engagement and Public Awareness for a Participative Governance of the European Bioeconomy (BioSTEP)
Project ID: 2801
Table of contents: Click to show full table of contents

Background
1 Integrating priorities of civil society into bioeconomy research agendas
2 Developing and testing models for co-creation in the bioeconomy
3 Communicating complex topics of the bioeconomy to the general public
4 Analysing the regional transition to the bioeconomy
5 Ensuring responsible research and inclusive innovation in the bio-economy
Keywords: Bioeconomy

Governance

Resource Conservation + Circular Economy

Bioeconomy, participatory governance, responsible research and innovation (RRI), Horizon 2020, Horizon Europe

EU

Further Links

EventConferenceEffective Stakeholder and Public Engagement in the Bioeconomy – BioSTEP Conference

Conference:Effective Stakeholder and Public Engagement in the Bioeconomy – BioSTEP Conference

Date: 22 February 2018
Location: Brussels, Belgium

PublicationPolicy BriefCreating Networks for the Transition to a Bio-based and Circular Economy

BioSTEP-Politikpapier

BioSTEP consortium (2017): Creating Networks for the Transition to a Bio-based and Circular Economy. BioSTEP Policy Paper.

PublicationReportEngaging Stakeholders and Citizens in the Bioeconomy

Building on the idea that an open and informed dialogue on complex topics such as the bioeconomy and engaging with variety of stakeholders and the general public may bring the concept of the bioeconomy closer to the society, the BioSTEP project experimented with... Read more

Gerdes, Holger; Zoritza Kiresiewa, Volkert Beekman, et. al. 2018: Engaging stakeholders and citizens in the bioeconomy: Lessons learned from BioSTEP and recommendations for future research.

BioSTEP project website