Specifically, BIOMODEL4REGIONS works to achieve sustainable development goals in the following ways:
 

• Providing support for the development of local and regional strategies, aimed at utilising local potentials and innovations by integrating opportunities that are created by the local bio-based economy and therefore contributing to the broader bioeconomy transition.
• The development of novel business models to enable consumers, industries, or producers and public bodies to begin a societal switch towards environmentally responsible behaviour by utilising bio-based products and services.
• The development of best practice guidelines for local operators and innovation developers, supporting climate-neutrality and low environmental footprint improvements of bio-based products and services.

The BIOMODEL4REGIONS methodology is based on setting up a governance structure among bioeconomy clusters that will leverage on the success of previous projects, initiatives, and best practices. In doing so, BIOMODEL4REGIONS will build upon work done through several years of research on bioeconomy. These results will be used within the project to support six pilot regions that have been chosen in the clusters’ networks.

The pilot regions takes into account the different model regions (Northern, Southern, Eastern, and Central-Western regions of Europe), their conditions and assets, and their different primary sectors. These primary sectors include forestry, agri-food, aquatic biomass, and organic fraction of municipal solid waste (OFMSW). These regions, conditions and assets, and primary sectors will be represented under a fully transferable case-study approach that can be replicated throughout Europe to demonstrate the replicability of the approach after the end of the project.

CIAOTECH (PNo Group), Italy

• Normandy region, France
• Delta region, The Netherland
• Nitra region, Slovakia
• Västerbotten and Västernorrland Regions, Sweden
• Western Macedonia, Greece
• Tuscany, Italy

Already selected for replication:  Western Pomerania, Poland

• Bioeconomy Cluster, Slovakia
• Biofuel Region BFR AB, Sweden
• Cluster of Bioeconomy and Environment of Western Macedonia, Greece
• Spring Sustainable Processes and Resources for Innovation and National Growth, Italy
• Zielona Chemia, Poland
• Circular Bio-based Delta, The Netherlands
• Aquimer, France

The BIOMODEL4REGIONS project has a large scope, and its objectives are to:

• define the options of a supporting governance structure and the related capacities for regional authorities;
• provide support to local, economic, and implementing authorities, including at a bio-based economy clusters level, to improve the engagement of regional and local actors;
• analyse the regional, bio-based, and economy-related policy mix to identify and understand any bottlenecks, opportunities, and capacities for feedstocks, infrastructure, investment, human skills, and innovation actors;
• analyse, develop and update business models to enable consumers, SMEs, producers, regional and local authorities to switch to socially and environmentally responsible behaviour;
• develop best practice guidelines for local operators and innovation developers to support climate neutrality and low environmental footprint improvements of bio-based products and services;
• integrate the opportunities created by the local bio-based economy within the broader bio-based economy transition;
• ensure the efficient exchange of best practices and the engagement of all actors via robust and transparent communication and awareness campaigns;
• replicate the project results throughout Europe, by contributing to the Circular Cities and Regions Initiative (CCRI).

• D 2.1 Structure of the Governance structure, communication tools and rules;
• D 2.2 BIOMODELS4REGION on-line management tool;
• D 3.1 Generic model for regional bio-based economy governance;
• D 3.2 Handbook on policy monitoring system and key performance indicators;
• D 3.3 Reports on governance and policy regime on the bio-based economy as well as bio-based economy potential in the pilot regions (one report each);
• D 4.1 Report on social and economic drivers and barriers for the acceptance of bio-based business models;
• D 4.2 Validated conceptual framework towards improved bio-based business models that contribute to socially and environmentally responsible behaviour;
• D 5.1 Six regional bio-based economy strategy blueprints, one by each pilot region;
• D 5.2 Best practice guidelines for local operators and innovation developers containing the six pilot regions’ best practices translated in the 24 official EU languages;
• D 5.3 Policy recommendations for policy makers;
• D 6.4 Replication guide.

• Share information and knowledge of the project with CCRI-CSO; 
• take an active part in CCRI support activities of Pilot and Fellow cities and regions;
• participate in CCRI events.

Newsletter no 1

STAKEHOLDER Factsheet

BIOMODEL4REGIONS leaflet

BIOMODEL4REGIONS Poster

BIOMODEL4REGIONS Rollup

BIOMODELS4REGION is expected to contribute to the following United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, which are related to the environment:
 

11. Sustainable cities & communities

Key Performance Indicator (KPI): six pilot regions (WP5) and three additional European regions (WP6) will be supported to create sustainable bio-based economy strategies. A replication guide will be also produced to foster the replication after the project’s end.

12. Responsible consumption & production

KPI: BIOMODELS4REGION will support six pilot regions (WP5) and three additional European regions (WP6) to improve their forestry, agri-food, aquatic and waste (OFMSW) value chains towards more sustainable production and consumption, by involving more than 1000 stakeholders.

13. Climate action

A more effective and appropriate use of natural resources, promoted by BIOMODELS4REGION, will help to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. KPI: at the least, a 10 % GHG emissions reduction thanks to the adoption of the bio-based economy strategies developed within the project (partners’ estimates, according to the numbers we aim to reach within the project). This impact will also support the building of a carbon neutral EU in accordance with the climate objectives of the Paris Agreement and of the EU Green Deal Priority 1 (Increasing the EU’s climate ambition for 2030 and 2050).

14. Life below water; and 15. Life on land

BIOMODELS4REGION will support six pilot regions based on forestry, agri-food, aquatic and waste (OFMSW) value chains to develop sound bio-based economy strategies, aiming at safeguarding life on land and below water. This impact will also support EU Green Deal Priority 8 (A zero pollution ambition for a toxic-free environment).

BIOMODELS4REGION is expected to contribute to the following Sustainable Development Goals related to societal challenges:

1. No poverty; and 8. Decent work & economic growth

New bio-based business models will open new markets and will help to create jobs in different sectors, in the outermost EU regions and in remote locations. KPI: at least 200 new jobs and a 20 % increase of business actors involved in the forestry, agri-food, aquatic and waste (OFMSW) value chains (partners estimates according to the number of stakeholders we aim to reach within the project).

4. Quality education

BIOMODELS4REGION will carry out targeted activities to transfer knowledge developed to different stakeholder groups. KPI: WP5 one online webinar per region in the local language (plus one additional webinar in English) aiming at sharing the best practices of the project.

5. Gender equality

BIOMODELS4REGION will support the gender balance by: i) increasing participation of women and creating gender balance in the project team, through the commitment of each partner to take measures to promote equal opportunities in the implementation of actions for all the stakeholders involved in the project, including partners’ organisations; ii) including the gender balance in the decision-making structure of the project (WP1).

BIOMODELS4REGION is expected to contribute to the following Sustainable Development Goals related to economic challenges:

1. No poverty; and 8. Decent work & economic growth

New bio-based business models will open new markets and will help to create jobs in different sectors, in the outermost EU regions and in remote locations. KPI: at least 200 new jobs and a 20 % increase of business actors involved in the forestry, agri-food, aquatic and waste (OFMSW) value chains (partners estimates according to the number of stakeholders we aim to reach within the project).

• Public administrations
• Industry
• Citizens
• Regional and local authorities
• Primary producers
• SMEs
• Civil society organisations including NGOs
• Knowledge providers
• Consumers

• Innovation Engineering S.R.L
• BioEconomy Cluster
• Biofuel Region
• Cluster Viooikonomias Kai Perivallontos Dytikis Makedonias
• Iclei European Secretariat
• Spring Sustainable Processes and Resources for Innovation and National Growth
• The West Pomeranian Chemical Cluster Green Chemistry
• Stichting Circular Bio-based Delta
• Rise Processum
• Stichting Wageningen Research
• Aquimer
• Naturplast
• Agenzia per la Promozione Della Ricerca Europea