CEE2ACT will empower countries in Central Eastern Europe and beyond (Bulgaria, Croatia, Czech Republic, Greece, Hungary, Poland, Romania, Serbia, Slovakia and Slovenia) - CEE2ACT target countries - to develop circular bioeconomy strategies and action plans through knowledge transfer and innovative governance models enabling sustainability and resilience to achieve better informed decision-making processes, societal engagement and innovation, building on the practice of experienced countries serving as role models in this context (Austria, Germany, The Netherlands, Belgium, Spain, Finland, Sweden). Knowledge transfer and inspiration in creative formats that address the motivations, needs and knowledge gaps of each CEE2ACT target country will be realized through the CEE2ACT National Bioeconomy Hubs. A participatory, non-political, bottom-up approach will be applied throughout the project activities, tackling specific knowledge gaps and shortcomings of the top-down conventional approach, building closer interconnections between actors across public institutions, private sector, industry, energy, SMEs, feedstock providers (e.g., waste, side streams, farmers, foresters, fishermen), academia and research, NGOs, CSOs in the target countries. To achieve this, a baseline assessment will be carried out (socio-economic and environmental aspects), stakeholder engagement activities will be implemented ensuring the proper involvement and active participation of all relevant stakeholders. Digital solutions for sustainable governance will be created, exchange of know-how and best practices on technology transfer, building the capacities of the stakeholders to develop bioeconomy strategies. The findings will be synthetized, in an analytical framework, which will result in National-level Roadmaps for the Bioeconomy Strategies in Targeted CEE2ACT countries, boosting societal engagement in the countries’ transition towards circular bioeconomy.

Forests are key elements of the European bioeconomy. To enhance provision of their ecosystem services (ES), harnessing Forest Genetic Resources (FGR) is essential. OptFORESTS will support the conservation and sustainable use of FGR by: i) conducting research on the selection of diverse forest reproductive material (FRM), including mixtures, adapted to future climates, ii) fostering sustainable use and resilience of natural forests, iii) helping expand and diversify nursery production, iv) developing nature-based solutions (NBS), tools (e.g., expanded Information Systems) and cultural trajectories to promote forest biodiversity and ES, and v) demonstrating biodiversity restoration solutions. To do this, OptFORESTS will carry out genetics, modelling, stakeholder surveys, expert panels and socioeconomic analyses. OptFORESTS will evaluate adaptive and biomass traits in existing common gardens and newly-established next-generation ones, conserve and utilise unique tree lineages for ecosystem restoration and management, model future adaptation of trees at different life stages and conduct low-input breeding. This will be complemented by studying the effects of silviculture and landscape heterogeneity on genetic diversity and developing new silvicultural options for genetically mixed forests, which will be implemented via training software (marteloscopes) and long-term demonstration plots. To enable optimal supply of diversified FRM, OptFORESTS will assess the European nursery sector, forecast future FRM needs, develop plant production technology and promote cooperation between nurseries. To ensure the uptake of NBS, they will be co-designed with local and EU-level stakeholders and a cost-benefit and gap analysis of key socio-economic, governance and policy issues will be developed. Finally, the OptFORESTS tailored communication strategy will be instrumental in achieving long-term impacts supporting international and EU policy under the European Green Deal.