Lead Partner: Forest Science and Technology Centre of Catalonia (CTFC)

With the objective of the transition to a low carbon economy, some countries and regions in Europe are developing energy and land use policies in separate ways by different administrations. To improve the energy sector in balance with the natural resource a challenge is to work on bridging those conflicting views and policies.   BIO4ECO aims to improve regional and national policy processes and policy implementation and delivery addressing the transition to a low carbon economy, in relation with renewable energy use, energy efficiency of building, and forest and agricultural biomass. The main expected outcomes are: increase the share of renewable energy in the overall energy mix (17 M€ of ERDF funding benefited by the project)take into account bioenergy and bioeconomy in all planning and decision-makinglay the groundwork for future integrated strategies and programmes for regional bioeconomy and carbon neutrality.   BIO4ECO will organise interregional and local learning process by thematic workshops, study visits and local stakeholder groups meetings, to achieve a greater integration among the lessons learned. These are going to be the cornerstone of the learning process. Topics that will be worked in these events are the following: Role of forests within regional and national low carbon and bioeconomy strategies and programmesFirst-hand experience on integral solutions for bioenergy policies and strategiesThe Energy-Foof-Water land use nexus: possible equilibrium for the low-carbon transitionHow to increase social acceptance of bioenergy policies?Priorization of bioenergy production at different geographical scales BIO4ECO videos of the thematic workshop in Paris “Prioritization of bioenergy production at different geographical scales” Bio4Eco Interreg Europe - workshop&study visits Paris Bio4Eco - interview Aiga Grasmane, Latvian Forest Owners Association BIO4Eco - interview de Florin Andronescu, Alba Local Energy Agency - Romania

Lead Partner: Province of Fryslân

Celebrating Biodiversity Governance (BioGov) is about the improvement of natural and cultural heritage policies. We want to reach our goal through participatory governance, by way of  stakeholder cooperation.  Stakeholders include nature organization staff, land owners, citizens government staff. Stakeholder cooperation means information sharing,dialogue, deliberationexploring new models of shared decision-making. The expected changes are more effective policies due to improved governance and broad stakeholder support, projects using participatory governance and/or policy instruments that actively encourage participatory governance as a new priority. As outcomes, partners will increase their capacity to facilitate Multi-Stakeholder Partnerships in their region, to engage in interregional learning, to learn to produce and communicate best practice narratives. Study visits - as part of interregional partner meetings - enable project staff to meet regional stakeholders and dialogue about policy improvement. Biodiversity and cultural landscapes are at the core of our regional identities. In our view, effective natural and cultural heritage policies are rooted in deliberation about, as well as care for and celebration of nature that sustains us.

Lead Partner: LAB University of Applied Sciences (until 31.12.2019 Lahti University of Applied Sciences)

BIOREGIO boosts bio-based circular economy through transfer of expertise about best available technologies and cooperation models.    AIMS improving knowledge related to circular economy of biological streams i.e. bio-based circular economyincreasing recycling rates of biological materials e.g. food waste/biowaste, municipal and industrial sludge and agricultural residues    transferring expertise about:             - cooperation models, e.g. ecosystems, networks, administrative cooperation,             - best available technologies, e.g. bio refinery, biogas production ACTIVITIES joint development of policy instrumentsdefining best practices of bio-based circular economy: cooperation models and best available technologiesdescribing regional biological streams ACTIONS regional stakeholder group meetingsinterregional events: roundtable discussions, seminars and site visitspolicy briefs, expert papersregional dissemination events RESULTS six policy instruments will be improved: funding of new projects, improving the management of the instruments, influencing the strategic focus of the instrumentsregions will be better equipped to implement new technologies and cooperation models in order to move towards bio-based circular economyincreasing professional capacity among stakeholdersraising public awareness of bio-based circular economy