News

FAO has unveiled the world's first Global Bioeconomy Dashboard, a comprehensive platform that supports the framing of bioeconomy strategies. 

The Dashboard displays the latest information on national and regional bioeconomy strategies and shows how they align with environmental objectives. This streamlines the process of understanding global trends in bioeconomy developments and so assists informed decision-making at national and international levels.

Dr Lev Neretin, Environment Team Leader at the FAO Office of Climate Change, Biodiversity and Environment (OCB), says the Dashboard represents a significant milestone in global efforts towards developing a sustainable bioeconomy and reaching the Sustainable Development Goals.

“This innovative platform serves as a centralized repository of the most up-to-date information from around the world,” he says, “It will support countries in addressing the interconnected challenges now facing the planet and its people, by providing comprehensive insights into bioeconomy strategies and how they contribute to addressing climate change, biodiversity loss, and agrifood system transformation.”

A centralized repository

Currently, 21 countries and 3 regions have a bioeconomy strategy, while an additional 17 countries are in the process of developing one. 

On a user-friendly interface, the Dashboard sets out instruments including National Biodiversity Strategies and Action Plans (NBSAPs), Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs), National Adaption Plans (NAPs), Long-Term Low-Emission Development Strategies (LT-LEDS) and Food System Transformation Pathways and shows how they reference bioeconomy-related technology and practices.

Users can map actions in the bioeconomy strategies that address climate change adaptation and mitigation, and biodiversity targets under international agreements, and learn how countries are contributing to environmental objectives through the development of their bioeconomy.

In addition, the Dashboard shows which economic sectors each country prioritizes while developing a national bioeconomy.

Users can navigate through different datasets, visualize data in customizable formats, and easily extract relevant information, using filters, search functions, and tooltips.

Unleashing the full potential of the bioeconomy

Viewed together with another soon-to be released FAO tool, the Bioeconomy Toolbox, the Dashboard will assist countries in revising existing strategies, developing new policies, and identifying opportunities for collaboration.

By sharing evidence and best practices of how various countries contribute to climate and biodiversity commitments, developers hope the platform will facilitate universal access to the benefits of bioeconomy development and unleash the full potential of the bioeconomy for sustainable development.

Be part of it!

The Dashboard draws on data from diverse sources, including FAO country and regional offices, external partners and counterparts, international experts, conferences, publications, websites, and news.

Considering the ongoing advancements in this Dashboard and the evolving dynamics of bioeconomy globally, the developers consider the platform to be an open-source archive and invite users to contact [email protected] with comments and if necessary, suggestions for improvement.

13/03/2024