Sustainable development is the most important challenge facing humanity
in the 21st century. The global economic growth in the recent
past has indeed exhibited marked progress in many countries.
Nevertheless, the issues of income disparity, poverty, gender gaps, and
malnutrition are not uncommon in the global landscape, in spite of the
upward growth of the economy and technological advances. This grim
picture is further exacerbated by our growing human population,
unmindful resource use, ever-increasing consumption trends, and changing
climate. In order to protect humanity and preserve the planet, the
United Nations issued the "2030 agenda for sustainable development,"
which includes but is not limited to sustainable production and
consumption practices, e.g. in a sustainable bioeconomy. The hallmark of
the sustainable bioeconomy is a paradigm shift from a fossil-fuel-based
economy to a biological-based one, which is driven by the virtues of
sustainability, efficient utilization of resources, and "circular
economy." As the sustainable bioeconomy is based on the efficient
utilization of biological resources and societal transformations, it
holds the immense potential to achieve the UN's Sustainable Development
Goals. This book shares valuable insights into the linkages between the
sustainable bioeconomy and Sustainable Development Goals, making it an
essential read for policymakers, researchers and students of
environmental studies.
