This open access book focuses on the meanings, agendas, as well as the local and global implications of bioeconomy and bioenergy policies in and across South America, Asia and Europe. It explores how a transition away from a fossil and towards a bio-based economic order alters, reinforces and challenges socio-ecological inequalities. The volume presents a historically informed and empirically rich discussion of bioeconomy developments with a particular focus on bio-based energy. A series of conceptual discussions and case studies with a multidisciplinary background in the social sciences illuminate how the deployment of biomass sources from the agricultural and forestry sectors affect societal changes concerning knowledge production, land and labour relations, political participation and international trade. How can a global perspective on socio-ecological inequalities contribute to a complex and critical understanding of bioeconomy? Who participates in the negotiation of specific bioeconomy policies and who does not? Who determines the agenda? To what extent does the bioeconomy affect existing socio-ecological inequalities in rural areas? What are the implications of the bioeconomy for existing relations of extraction and inequalities across regions? The volume is an invitation to reflect upon these questions and more, at a time when the need for an ecological and socially just transition away from a carbon intensive economy is becoming increasingly pressing.

Biodiversity and Bioeconomy: Status Quo, Challenges, and Opportuniti es comprehensively delivers the latest developments in theories of biodiversity and ecosystem functi oning and their major implicati ons for biodiversity conservati on through diversifying agriculture, forestry, and biomass producti on systems and linking these developments with sustainability of bioeconomy. This book provides basic understanding of biodiversity and bioeconomy, diff erent views of their interrelati onship, and their links with sustainable development goals. It also examines the research and practi ce of biodiversity and ecosystem functi oning in agriculture, forestry, and biomass producti on systems to achieve sustainable bioeconomy. Finally, this book examines status, challenges, and opportuniti es for biodiversity-centered bioeconomy providing a way forward. - Examines the status of scienti fi c understanding of biodiversity and bioeconomy and interrelatedness - Describes challenges and opportuniti es for socioeconomic and ecologically sustainable development of bioeconomy - Covers agriculture, forestry, and aquati c ecosystems and explores their biodiversity and bioeconomy potentials

This open access book explores bioeconomy and bioenergy policies across South America, Asia and Europe. It discusses how a transition away from a fossil and towards a bio-based economic order alters, reinforces and challenges socio-ecological inequalities. A series of conceptual discussions and case studies with a multidisciplinary background in the social sciences illuminate how the deployment of biomass sources from the agricultural and forestry sectors affect societal changes concerning knowledge production, land and labour relations, political participation and international trade. How can a global perspective on socio-ecological inequalities contribute to a critical understanding of bioeconomy? Who participates in the negotiation of specific bioeconomy policies and who does not? To what extent does the bioeconomy affect existing socio-ecological inequalities in rural areas? What are the implications of the bioeconomy for existing relations of extraction and inequalities across regions? The volume is an invitation to reflect upon these questions and more, at a time when the need for an ecological and socially just transition away from a carbon intensive economy is becoming increasingly pressing. The editors, Maria Backhouse, Rosa Lehmann, Kristina Lorenzen, Malte Lühmann, Janina Puder, Fabricio Rodríguez and Anne Tittor are all social scientists and members of the Junior Research Group "Bioeconomy and Inequalities. Transnational Entanglements and Interdependencies in the Bioenergy Sector" funded by the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF).

This report reviews a number of hybrid technologies that can be deployed to ‘defossilise’ economic sectors and sets out policy options to bring these technologies to commercial scale.

Designing with living materials: thoughts on the paradigm shift and an overview of the state of research What is “Bioprotopia”? It is a vision of a world with buildings that grow, self-heal and create virtuous cycles where waste from one process feeds another. A vision where the spaces that we inhabit are attuned to both the human occupants and non-human microbial ecologies. This is the first book to ground the concept of biotechnology in the built environment in tangible, large-scale prototypes. With rich visuals, it presents materials and processes that bring to life the many possibilities of shaping the built environment with micro-organisms. In addition to considering scientific and technical challenges, the book also discusses the need for a shift in thinking and culture to realise this vision. First comprehensive publication on the state of research Demonstrates the use of renewable materials in design Illustrative, scientific documentation for design professions and researchers

Forests are one of our most valuable resources, yet they are fast depleting with an impending ecological crisis in view. This new book explores the concept of sustainable forest management that involves the use of socially justifiable, economically viable, and ecologically sound strategies for sustainably managing forest resources for present and future generations without diminishing their value. It looks at sustainable forest management practices and highlights the aspects of forest resources, the importance of traditional knowledge, the need for conservation, the impact of climate change, and ecosystem services. It covers the scientific, technical, and socio-economical aspects of forests to further ensure the conservation of forest resources.

Agricultural workers have long been underrepresented in labour history. This volume aims to change this by bringing together a collection of studies on the largest group of the global work force. The contributions cover the period from the early modern to the present – a period when the emergence and consolidation of capitalism has transformed rural areas all over the globe. Three questions have guided the approach and the structure of this volume. First, how and why have peasant families managed to survive under conditions of advancing commercialisation and industrialisation? Second, why have coercive labour relations been so persistent in the agricultural sector and third, what was the role of states in the recruitment of agricultural workers? Contributors are: Elise van Nederveen Meerkerk, Josef Ehmer, Katherine Jellison, Juan Carmona, James Simpson, Sophie Elpers, Debojyoti Das, Lozaan Khumbah, Karl Heinz Arenz, Leida Fernandez-Prieto, Rachel Kurian, Rafael Marquese, Bruno Gabriel Witzel de Souza, Rogério Naques Faleiros, Alessandro Stanziani, Alexander Keese, Dina Bolokan, and Janina Puder.