The ThinkForest event ‘Building the bioeconomy: Insights from European strategies’ was held at the Marina Congress Center, Helsinki on 7 June 2016.
Challenges for bioeconomy development, and for forests, were the subject of discussion among speakers, panellists and the audience. Discussions focused on:
The lack of a narrative about the potential and use of forests, which hampers engagement with society
The need to raise awareness of the bioeconomy
The need to take risks with innovation, and widen bioeconomy investments
The encouragement of policy coherence, using existing policy and legislative instruments
Chaired by Göran Persson, ThinkForest President and Esko Aho, EFI Strategic Adviser
Thomas Arnold, Adviser ‘Sustainable Bioeconomy’, DG Research and Innovation, European Commission
Therese Knapp, speaking on behalf of Ibrahim Baylan, Minister for Policy Coordination and Energy, Sweden
Christine Lang, Chair of the German Bioeconomy Council
Miapetra Kumpula-Natri, MEP, European Parliament
Markku Ollikainen, Professor University of Helsinki & Chair, Finnish Climate Change Panel
Olli Rehn, Minister of Economic Affairs, Finland
Sofia Santos, Secretary General, BCSD Portugal
