Bioeconomy celebrates World Environment Day
News
Did you know that Sunday 5 June is World Environment Day? This year’s World Environment Day marks the 50th anniversary of the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), which was founded at the landmark 1972 Stockholm Conference on the Human Environment, co-organized by FAO. FAO is also a key partner in the Stockholm+50 meeting commemorating the 1972 conference and celebrating 50 years of global environmental action.
The theme of Stockholm+50 is “A healthy planet for the prosperity of all – our responsibility, our opportunity”. FAO is leading and co-leading a number of events on environmental issues related to agrifood systems. Three Leadership Dialogue background papers which have shaped the conference’s agenda reveal the key role of agrifood systems in addressing the multiple crises our world is facing.
Bioeconomy: a solution to planetary crises
Sustainable and circular bioeconomy is one of the major potential drivers of more efficient, inclusive, resilient and sustainable agrifood systems. In her opening address to the FAO side event on A Green and Climate-resilient Agrifood System Transformation for People and Planet on 2 June, FAO Deputy Director-General Maria Helena Semedo noted that agrifood systems transformation “will require wider use of cross-sectoral approaches; wider use of science, data, digital technologies and nature-positive solutions; wider use of Indigenous and local knowledge; and wider use of innovation, such as a sustainable and circular bioeconomy, a strategic priority for FAO”.
The bioeconomy offers myriad “leapfrogging” possibilities for tackling planetary challenges such as climate change, biodiversity loss, pollution and waste. Tellingly, sustainable and circular bioeconomy solutions could also help improve food security and nutrition, boost rural livelihoods, and increase opportunities for women, youth and Indigenous Peoples. All of these goals are central to the ambitions of the UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration, which FAO is co-leading with UNEP.
Read more here on some of the ways FAO is contributing to improved environmental outcomes in food and agriculture, including through bioeconomy innovations.
And watch FAO’s new video for World Environment Day here.
Happy World Environment Day! #EnvironmentDay #Onlyoneearth
Websites:
FAO Sustainable and Circular Bioeconomy
Article:
Leapfrogging to sustainability of agrifood systems by investing in bioeconomy innovations
Five ways advancing sustainable agrifood systems promotes a healthy environment
Video
03/06/2022