UNITE and FinnCERES, the Academy of Finland research flagships, are pleased to invite you to their event “Beyond the Bio-bubble” in Brussels, on November 30th, 2022. This is a unique opportunity to hear the latest research and development in the circular forest bioeconomy and to learn about the novel bio-based materials that will shape our future.
The bioeconomy has huge potential to reduce our dependence on fossil fuels, improve our continent’s resilience and contribute to solving global sustainability challenges. However, in Europe, the efforts to transition to a greener future are still hampered by persistent greenwashing. Together with top Finnish researchers we look beyond this hype and offer answers that hit the core of the problem. How can we use natural resources sustainably while preserving biodiverse ecosystems? And how can science-based knowledge best support policy and regulation?
Understanding Europe’s forest resources is vital for developing forest policy that can ensure a sustainable and fair bioeconomy. The UNITE Flagship uses innovative technologies to generate and process forest information for decision-making and to develop climate-smart approaches to forest management. For example, early prediction of spruce bark beetle outbreaks or wind damage risk is possible using data from airborne lidar and point-cloud laser scanning. Through motivational techniques such as gamification, the scientific centre of competence aims to exploit the new frontiers of human-forest-machine interaction that can boost the green transition.
Another game-changing area of research focuses on biomaterials. New value-added bioproducts and clean technologies have significant potential to decrease our fossil dependence and mitigate climate change. The FinnCERES Flagship’s research harnesses the natural properties of wood to develop new lignocellulosic materials that will enable the sustainable transformation of entire industries. The programme will provide information on the latest innovations in the sector such as wood-based functional textiles, novel bio-based packaging materials, lignin-based building materials and fully bio-based carbon fibres. These materials can also be explored in the accompanying exhibition at the event.
‘Beyond the Bio-Bubble’ will bring you the world-class research that is being conducted in Finland, covering the entire forest sector and wood-based products supply chain. Research, that is urgently needed for science-based, effective decision-making – to achieve the shared goal of a sustainable bioeconomy.
You are warmly welcome to join the event in Brussels or online.
For more information and registration, please visit the event site.
If you have any questions about the event, please feel free to contact Philip Chambers at the University of Eastern Finland: philip.chambers@uef.fi +358504305421