Co-developing an integrated modelling framework for the circular bioeconomy: Assessing technological, societal and policy implications

The circular bioeconomy is the intersection of bioeconomy and circular economy. It strives towards a more sustainable and resource efficient world with a low carbon footprint. The circular bioeconomy increases the resource efficiency of processes and the use of recycled materials. In addition, fossil carbon is substituted through renewable carbon from biomass produced with agriculture, forestry and the marine environment. As the above definition illustrates, several interlinked sectors, represented by different scientific disciplines, are involved in studying the bioeconomy. These disciplines use different vocabularies, principles and concepts, which must be aligned to enable a coherent and consistent assessment of future scenarios and potential policies. To this end, around fifteen individuals representing the disciplines engaged in a process of collaborative modelling during workshops and bilateral meetings. This report describes i) the co-production of the conceptual model of the circular bioeconomy and ii) the transfer of the conceptual model into a modelling framework of existing models, and; iii) the application of one of the computer models within the context of the circular bio-economy, i.e. iClue, in relation to the linked models of the modelling framework