The Irish Government has announced the launch of a new forum to promote, support and advocate for the sustainable development of the bioeconomy in Ireland.

The National Bioeconomy Forum will provide a voice for a broad range of stakeholders, including industry, community groups, NGOs and relevant state bodies.

The bioeconomy uses renewable, biological resources sourced sustainably from land and sea such as crops, forestry, fisheries, aquaculture, micro-organisms and animals and converts these resources into value-added bio-based products, including energy, plastics, feeds, fertilisers and proteins.

The Forum will focus on balancing the research and development, regulatory and market needs to support the sector to thrive in Ireland.

The Department for Environment, Climate and Communications (DECC) and the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM) will now work together on the Forum, with a work programme to commence in early 2021.

The government believes the bioeconomy has the potential to create new, sustainable opportunities for farmers and green jobs in rural and coastal areas and can play an important role in meeting Ireland’s climate change targets.

Environment, Climate and Communications Minister Eamon Ryan said: “Developing the Irish bioeconomy will help Ireland better use our natural and biological resources from our land and sea, in a sustainable and circular manner – supporting the economy, the country and the climate. It will also help us make the changes we need to make, particularly in our agricultural sector, by creating new sustainable options for farmers.”