Circular Bioeconomy Roadmap (2023).

This Estonia's Circular Bioeconomy Roadmap (2023) outlines a strategic framework to develop a sustainable bioeconomy by optimizing resource use, enhancing innovation, and promoting environmental conservation. It aligns with Estonia’s goals for the green transition, contributing to economic growth, biodiversity preservation, and climate change mitigation. The roadmap focuses on activities for 2023–2027 and sets long-term objectives until 2035.
The objectives of developing the circular bioeconomy are set up as: 1. reduce dependence on non-renewable and imported resources with a large environmental footprint, ensure self-sufficiency in food and raw materials and food security; 2. increase resource efficiency, material circulation and the use of by-products and residues as raw materials; 3. strengthen research and development and innovation competences, the development, deployment and acceptance of new technologies in society; 4. leveraging the emergence of innovative initiatives and forms of cooperation that support the export capacity of companies and foreign investment in the circular bioeconomy, which support the growth of the added value of the circular bioeconomy.
Key focus areas include: 1. Added Value from the Circular Bioeconomy by developing alternative raw materials and novel foods, promoting the use of by-products (e.g., from fisheries, agriculture, and forestry) in industries such as chemicals and cosmetics, expanding biogas plants to produce both energy and bio-based materials. 2. Sustainable Resource Supply and Biodiversity Conservation: Improve data on biomass production and develop digital platforms for tracking bio-resources; Expand the use of native plant species and introduce algae and shellfish farming to remove nutrients from water bodies; Promote integrated land, marine, and aquaculture systems for higher sustainability. 3. Research and Innovation: Foster collaboration between research institutions and industries to create high-value bio-based products; Leverage international research programs like Horizon Europe to develop scalable technologies; Apply IT and artificial intelligence to optimize processes and increase efficiency in the bioeconomy; 4. Competitive Business Environment: Create funding models for startups and R&D initiatives; Encourage private investment and business participation in international bioeconomy networks; Promote the export and marketing of Estonia’s bioeconomy products and technologies. 5. Education, Skills, and Awareness: Introduce circular bioeconomy-related curricula and micro-degrees in universities; Train local government officials to integrate bioeconomy principles into regional planning.