Deploying circular BIOecoNomies at Regional level with a territorial approach
Summary
Europe’s regional authorities have a crucial role to play as agents of just, inclusive and resilient economic development for their territories. ROBIN sets out to empower them to fulfil this role with support to co-shape their governance structures and models in ways that accelerate the deployment of their circular bioeconomy targets, while also promoting social innovation and accounting for different territorial contexts. To this end, ROBIN will establish and demonstrate the potential of innovative circular bioeconomy governance structures and models in 5 European Regions alongside regional government partners in Ireland, Germany, Spain, Slovakia and Greece.
Objectives
- Understand the state of play and animate Multi-Actor Regional Constellations (MARCs) to advance circular bioeconomy governance in European Regions.
- Co-create a needs driven and user validated digital Toolbox to drive the circular bioeconomy transition in a variety of regional settings.
- Deploy the ROBIN Toolbox to guide the development and operation of appropriate governance models and structures in five European regions.
- Evaluate results, and use evidence to communicate the project results, inform policy, promote mutual learning and facilitate widespread uptake and sustainable exploitation.
Impacts
- Creation of a supporting governance structure and related capacities for regional authorities, contributing to the Circular Cities and Regions Initiative (CCRI) and aiming at developing comprehensive and innovation- and sustainability-driven bioeconomy strategies
- Support to local economic and implementing authorities, including at bioeconomy clusters’ level, to improve engagement of regional and local actors, considering hierarchy of use, trade-offs, synergies, business models, participatory approaches etc. with improved environmental, social and economic impacts
- Support to the development of regional/local strategies, aiming at exploiting and developing balanced local potentials and innovation (in terms of feedstock, infrastructures (e.g. biorefineries) for logistics, services and production, investments) within the framework of local development and investment as well as environmental protection plans
- Integration of the opportunities created by the local bio-based economy within broader bioeconomy transition, e.g. by linking ecosystem/nature services’ valorisation with sustainable biomass production, processing, product design and manufacture, circular use and upcycling to new applications
- Development of the best practice guidelines for local operators and innovation developers, supporting climate-neutrality and low environmental footprint improvements of bio-based products and services
- Development of novel business models and related social measures to enable consumers, industry and public bodies to switch to socially and environmentally responsible behaviour within their choices (e.g. regulatory measures, corporate responsibility initiatives, education); ensuring synergies, transparency and inclusiveness of all actors
Project details
Start date:
1st September 2022
End date:
31st August 2025
Funding:
Horizon Europe, €2,499,953.00
Consortium
- QPLAN
- CTA
- White Research
- Pedal Consulting
- Steinbeis
- ZSK
- Munster Technological University
- Aristotle University of Thessaloniki
- Region of Central Macedonia
- Consejería de Agricultura
- Ganadería
- Pesca y Desarrollo Sostenible
- Instituto Andaluz de Investigación y Formación Agraria
- Pesquera
- Alimentaria y de la Producción Ecológica
- BIOPRO Baden-Württemberg GmbH
- Southern Regional Assembly of Ireland
Project Coordination
Organisation name: QPLAN
