Bit II. Bioeconomy in Italy. A new Bioeconomy strategy for a sustainable Italy.

The Bit II Bioeconomy in Italy is a national multi sectoral strategy of Italy, for the period 2020-2025, which aims to provide a shared vision of the economic, social and environmental opportunities and challenges associated with the creation of an Italian Bioeconomy based on longer, more sustainable and locally routed value chains.
The Italian Bioeconomy relies on all major sectors of primary production (agriculture, forestry, fisheries and aquaculture), those processing biological resources (such as the food and drink, wood and pulp and paper industries along with biorefineries) and parts of the chemical, biotechnological, energy, marine and maritime industries. The General Objective of the Italian Bioeconomy Strategy (BIT II) is to increase current Italian Bioeconomy turnover and jobs by 15% by 2030, while increasing the level of circularity in the economy. This objective is pursued by: a - Improving the sustainable and qualitative production in each sector and increasing their interconnection; allowing an effective valorization of national terrestrial/marine biodiversity, ecosystem services and circularity by creating longer and more locally routed value chains; regenerating abandoned/marginal lands and former industrial sites. b - Creating: i) more investments in R&I, spin offs/ start-ups, education, training, and communication, ii) fostering the coordination between regional, national and EU stakeholders/policies, iii) improving the engagement with the public, and iv) tailoring market development actions.
The strategy aims at interconnecting the main Bioeconomy sectors, creating longer, more sustainable and locally routed value chains. It promotes the integration of research and innovation needs and opportunities, policy, business, and cultural attitude into a single systemic vision for the Bioeconomy which is in line with the development model of the circular economy. Looking at the overall long term objective, the strategy defines some guiding principles and specific targets in the vision; then presents an analysis of problems and opportunities for each sub-sector and, in particular, for their interconnections. As a result of this analysis, a research agenda, and some supporting measures to overcome obstacles are defined.
The present strategy intends to deliver new knowledge, technologies, services, capacity building, with a focus on sustainable agriculture and forestry, aquatic living resources and marine and maritime Bioeconomy, a sustainable and competitive agri-food system for a safe and healthy diet, bio-based industries and support measures to flank the R&I agenda. It also intends to contribute to fill the gaps related to regulations and public awareness. More specifically the strategy aims at: - Increasing circularity in the economy; - Boosting sustainable and locally routed economic growth by bridging gaps between research and economic sectors; - Supporting the alignment of EU, national, regional policies, regulations and coordination of local stakeholders; - Ensuring that the Bioeconomy reconciles technological advances and progress without undermining environment conservation and the resilience of the ecosystems; - Promoting knowledge-based economic activities and policy making; - Supporting cross-disciplinary education and training for researchers as well as for technical careers; - Catalyzing informal learning, tertiary education and technology/knowledge transfer to support the jobs in the wider Bioeconomy domain; - Promoting the Bioeconomy in the Mediterranean area through initiatives addressed to improve Mediterranean primary production and bioindustry potential, thus creating new jobs, social cohesion and political stability in the area.
The implementation of the strategy and the realization of its overall objective can be monitored through a tentative set of EU key performance indicators to monitor the Bioeconomy developments on the supply and demand side. These indicators refer to Eurostat and national data and allow for the implementation of benchmarking analysis.
The following entities have been involved in the BIT II preparation: i) Ministry for Economic Development ii) Ministry of Agriculture, Food, Forestry and Tourism iii) Ministry of Education, University and Research iv) Ministry of the Environment, Land and Sea v) XI Committee of Italian Regions and Autonomous Prov- inces vi) Italian Technology Clusters for Green Chemistry SPRING, Agri-Food CLAN, and Bluegrowth BIG The present Strategy (BIT II) was formally presented at the Italian presidency of Council Ministers on May 14th 2019.