nova Session: Food and Feed Crops for Bio-based Materials – Facts, Myths, Availability and Policy (online)

nova-Session: Food and Feed Crops for Bio-based Materials – Facts, Myths, Availability and Policy

Hosts: Lara Dammer and Michael Carus (both nova-Institute)
13:00 – 16:00 h (CET), online

When discussing the green transition, there are conflicting views. On the one hand, it is considered fact that we need to move away from fossil feedstocks, also for chemicals and materials, and that bio-based materials will have to play an important role there. On the other hand, there are severe concerns about the overall availability of biomass and the competition to food and feed. There is a widely held view that the use of food and feed crops for anything other than food and feed uses is detrimental to food security. We are ready to challenge this perception and want to encourage differentiated discussions and evidence-based opinion making.

In this three-hour webinar, nova-Institute will present findings from latest research on the overall availability of biomass, now and until 2050. Furthermore, we will show that the impacts of using food and feed crops are much more complex than usually assumed and can even be positive, with regards to climate, land productivity, environment, farmers’ income, market stability, feed security and food security. Experts will also highlight the recent political framework for using biomass for biofuels and bio-based chemicals and materials. Two companies will showcase their ways of using sustainably sourced primary biomass.

Join our webinar for surprising insights and in-depth discussion of a hotly debated issue!

Topics:

• Why bio-based materials have an important role to play for mitigating climate change
• Global biomass availability
• Overall environmental impacts and sustainability assessments
• Economic effects
• Protein supply and emergency reserves
• Political framework
• Practical examples of companies utilising sustainably sourced primary biomass

Program

13:00–13:10 Welcome and introduction
(Lara Dammer, nova-Institute)

13:10–14:00 Availability of agricultural and forest-based biomass now and in the future – new insights from recent research
(Michael Carus, nova-Institute)

14:00–14:30 The Use of Food and Feed Crops for Bio-based Materials and the Related Effects on Food Security – returning to a fact-based debate
(Michael Carus and Lara Dammer, nova-Institute)

14:30–14:45 Q&A

14:45–15:15 Status quo of policy on biomass uses and sustainability requirements
(Lara Dammer, nova-Institute)

15:15–15:45 Practical examples of sustainable bio-based materials from primary biomass
(Martin Clemesha, Braskem | Dr. Jens Angermann, CropEnergies)

15:45–16:00 Discussion & wrap-up