Policymakers’ capacity to develop a sustainable bioeconomy

Research Project, 2017 – 2019

Many of the Swedish attempts to develop advanced bioeconomy solutions, such as smart biofuels, green chemicals and materials from forestry raw materials, have stagnated at the RD&D stage and failed to reach commercial deployment. Innovation and transition policy researchers have identified the main problems and provided recommendation on appropriate policy mixes, but so far there is little sign of them in policy practice. The purpose of this project is therefore to examine the perceived relevance of researchers’ policy recommendations and to assess the strategic capacity of relevant policy makers to translate relevant advice into actual policy mixes.

The project is based on six case studies of initiatives to develop and implement bioeconomy strategies at the national and regional level:

(1) The Government’s assignment to the research council Formas, the Swedish Innovation Agency Vinnova and the Swedish Energy Agency to develop the first bioeconomy strategy (2011-2012).

(2) The Ministry of Enterprise and Innovation’s development of a National Forest Program (2015-2017).

(3) The realization of the Cross-Party Committee on Environmental Objectives’ suggestion to develop a more offensive bioeconomy strategy (2016-).

(4) The Government’s innovation partnership program “Circular and Biobased Economy” (2016-).

(5) The “Biorefinery of the future” project in (Västernorrland county, Västerbotten region).

(6) The West Sweden chemical and materials cluster (Västra Götaland region).