The International Advisory Council on Global Bioeconomy (IACGB) is an independent think tank composed of about forty high-level bioeconomy leaders and experts from all hemispheres, representing different backgrounds and expertise. While the members of the IACGB serve in their personal capacity, many of them also advise the bioeconomy landscapes and governments of the countries or regions to which they relate.
As members of the International Advisory Board on Global Bioeconomy and of EPSO, we want to inform EPSO members about the message the IACGB submitted to COP27, the 27th Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP27) summit in Sharm el-Sheik, Egypt: the IACGB statement is calling for recognition of the following valuable biological contribution to the economy in addressing climate change:
- Bioeconomy is essential yet often overlooked in climate change adaptation and mitigation policy and actions.
- A sustainable and circular bioeconomy offers a holistic approach for a more impact-focused cross-sectoral climate policy and action, especially in achieving reduced carbon emissions economy, new sustainable and climate-resilient pathways for growth and mobilizing citizen participation in climate action.
- Bioeconomy should be integrated in international climate action and its cross-sectoral feature makes it a gamechanger in further COP deliberations.
Three scientists involved in EPSO are member of the International Advisory Board on Global Bioeconomy: Elspeth MacRae / NZ is co-chair, Josef Glössl / AT and Ulrich Schurr / DE. In addition, the IACGB office is hosted at the Institute for Plant Sciences of the Julich Research Centre and Peter Wehrheim / DE (European Commission) is also a member of the IACGB.
EPSO will support the IACGB and help disseminate its activities.
The IACGB intends to act like a platform of platforms to facilitate international collaboration and mutual exchange in all aspects of relevance for sustainable and circular bioeconomy development by working together with multiple stakeholders across the globe, through leading representatives from policy, science, civil society and the business sector.
The IACGB initiates, designs and organizes the Global Bioeconomy Summit, a leading global conference and platform for exchange and discussion of recent developments for a sustainable and circular bioeconomy worldwide.
Read the full EPSO announcement here
Elspeth MacRae, co-chair IACGB; [email protected]
Ulrich Schurr, member IACGB; [email protected]
Josef Glössl, member IACGB; [email protected]
Karin Metzlaff, EPSO Executive Director, [email protected]