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Understanding the Transition to a Bio-Based Economy: Exploring Dynamics Linked to the Agricultural Sector in Sweden
Stockholm University, Faculty of Science, Department of Physical Geography.
Stockholm University, Faculty of Science, Department of Physical Geography.
Number of Authors: 42018 (English)In: Sustainability, E-ISSN 2071-1050, Vol. 10, no 5, article id 1504Article in journal (Refereed) Published
Abstract [en]

There is a growing interest in the bio-based economy, evident in the policy domain as well as in the academic literature. Its proponents consider it an opportunity to address multiple societal challenges, and the concept has broad reach across different sectors of society. However, a potential transition process is also linked to areas of risk and uncertainty, and the need for interdisciplinary research and for the identification of potential trade-offs and synergies between parallel visions of the bio-based economy have been emphasized. The aim of this paper is to contribute to addressing this gap by using an approach combining tools for systems analysis with expert interviews. Focusing specifically on dynamics in the agricultural sector in Sweden, an integrated understanding of the social and ecological processes contributing to or hindering a transition in this area is developed, high order leverage points are identified, and potential impacts of proposed interventions explored. The paper also considers cross-sectoral linkages between the forestry and agricultural sectors.

Place, publisher, year, edition, pages
2018. Vol. 10, no 5, article id 1504
Keywords [en]
sustainability transitions, systems analysis, causal loop diagrams, bio-based economy, bio-economy, agriculture, GREEN & SUSTAINABLE SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY
National Category
Earth and Related Environmental Sciences Social and Economic Geography
Identifiers
URN: urn:nbn:se:su:diva-158162DOI: 10.3390/su10051504ISI: 000435587100200OAI: oai:DiVA.org:su-158162DiVA, id: diva2:1234117
Available from: 2018-07-23 Created: 2018-07-23 Last updated: 2022-03-23Bibliographically approved
In thesis
1. The transition to a bio-based economy: Toward an integrated understanding
Open this publication in new window or tab >>The transition to a bio-based economy: Toward an integrated understanding
2020 (English)Doctoral thesis, comprehensive summary (Other academic)
Abstract [en]

The bio-based economy has gained increasing attention in societal and academic debates over the past two decades, and is argued to hold solutions to several pressing sustainability challenges. However, it is not yet clear if the high-reaching aspirations of the bio-based economy can be realized. The bio-based economy discourse has been criticized for being promissory, vague, and single-sector focused, thereby overlooking larger systemic impacts, trade-offs, and unintended consequences that may result from pursuing the goals of the bio-based economy. Against this background, this thesis aims to advance an integrated and systemic understanding of the transition to a bio-based economy and what it implies for sustainability. Sweden is used as an empirical case, where specific bio-based economy goals, as well as their interactions and sustainability outcomes, are examined. The focus is primarily on developments in the forestry, agriculture, and energy sectors. The analysis also seeks to identify how goals related to the bio-based economy are interconnected with goals promoted by parallel sustainability initiatives, specifically the 2030 Agenda and the associated Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Integration is achieved by using systems analysis tools and methods. Further, the weak and strong sustainability paradigms, and the opposing definitions of sustainability they provide, are used to assess the contribution of the bio-based economy to sustainability. 

The integrated analysis provides a detailed and operational conceptualization of transition pathways to a Swedish bio-based economy. The goals of the Swedish bio-based economy are divergent and broad-reaching, emphasizing that there is no general agreement on what the transition to a bio-based economy entails. The results point to multiple barriers that need to be addressed to realize the goals of the Swedish bio-based economy. Goal conflicts constitute one such barrier. These are found internal to as well as across the bio-based economy and the parallel 2030 Agenda. Additional hindrances include policy resistance, negative cross-sectoral spillovers, and patterns of path dependency. However, the results also highlight several opportunities for supporting the transition process in a Swedish context. These opportunities include the identification of goals and interventions with synergetic potential, which offer a basis for developing efficient implementation strategies with high systemic impact. There is also large potential to support cross-sectoral collaboration and learning, based on shared interests and challenges. Finally, the results emphasize the importance of better understanding and addressing perceptions about risk, conflict, legitimacy, and trust in the transition process.

In terms of the overarching question of what the bio-based economy implies for sustainability, the results find that the bio-based economy has been contributing to developments that align primarily with weak sustainability. From the perspective of the strong sustainability paradigm, the prospects of the bio-based economy are less promising, potentially leading to outcomes that could worsen ongoing environmental and social issues. For the future, fundamental changes to the way the bio-based economy is conceptualized and implemented are needed for it to contribute to sustainability according to the notion of strong sustainability.

Place, publisher, year, edition, pages
Stockholm: Department of Physical Geography, Stockholm University, 2020. p. 92
Series
Dissertations in Physical Geography, ISSN 2003-2358 ; 8
Keywords
Bio-based economy, bio-economy, sustainability transitions, 2030 Agenda, Sustainable Development Goals, integrated sustainability assessment, systems analysis
National Category
Physical Geography
Research subject
Physical Geography
Identifiers
urn:nbn:se:su:diva-183874 (URN)978-91-7911-086-4 (ISBN)978-91-7911-087-1 (ISBN)
Public defence
2020-09-25, De Geersalen, Geovetenskapens hus, Svante Arrhenius väg 14, and digitally via Zoom: https://stockholmuniversity.zoom.us/j/64021544986, Stockholm, 13:00 (English)
Opponent
Supervisors
Available from: 2020-09-02 Created: 2020-08-12 Last updated: 2022-02-26Bibliographically approved

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Bennich, ThereseBelyazid, Salim

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