Sustainable bioeconomy transition is an acknowledged pathfinder to achieve the Green Deal ambitions. A regionalised bioeconomy is seen as a promising leverage point for green growth. Many European regions have already adopted bioeconomy strategies. However, the majority of regional stakeholders lack actionable knowledge to translate them into practice and embed them into society, industry and research by simultaneously considering planetary boundaries. Regions heavily relying on GHG-intensive economies - that are particularly critical for realising the Green Deal - face even more challenges to unlock their bioeconomy potential. The concept of bioeconomy model regions tackles the urgent need to concretise bioeconomy into tangible transition measures. Model regions are characterized by a systemic approach, draw on technological and societal innovations, are able to link sectors and contribute to sustainable development in economic, ecological and social dimensions. BIO2REG therefore aims to enable regional stakeholders of GHG-intensive economies to unlock their regions’ bioeconomy potential by transitioning towards model regions. BIO2REG paves the way for regional stakeholder to actively initiate and shape transition based on a regions-to-regions approach. Embedded in a network of regions for regions, interregional exchange and cooperation will be facilitated. Specifically, regional stakeholders will be capacitated by i) provision of a regionalisation concept for model regions, ii) mapping best practices on circular and sustainable bioeconomy, iii) guides for bioeconomy potential assessments, iv) mentoring and training services v) formation of transition alliances and v) policy recommendations to adapt strategies and funding. A key component is the adoption of a multi-actor approach by co-creating tools and guides with regional stakeholders as well as engaging with regions by guided on-site exchanges with stakeholders from other regions.

The BOOST4BIOEAST project aims to set in motion the levers for bioeconomy deployment in the Central Eastern European and Baltic countries. The consortium will focus on building upon BIOEASTsUP outcomes and the Vision Paper of the BIOEAST Initiative by boosting the participation of national stakeholder networks in the development of national bioeconomy action plans and to build long-lasting structures for national and macro-regional cooperation. The BIOEAST HUBs will be the national platforms directly linked to public administrations under which capacities are built and the different stakeholders of the bioeconomy are mobilised to more effectively contribute to and take part in decision-making processes using participatory approaches. BIOEAST-wide mapping of bioeconomy competencies and biomass will be undertaken to advance the knowledge on bioeconomy in the macro-region as well as BIOEAST Knowledge Platform will be created to act as repository of knowledge materials and relevant information on bioeconomy that will allow BIOEAST´s stakeholders to access, share and store bioeconomy-related materials towards developing national BIOEAST HUBs into active contributors to bioeconomy in each member state. In order to boost bioeconomy innovation and education in the BIOEAST countries, the project will bring together public and private funders with relevant business stakeholders and expand the BIOEAST UNI NET network. Activities such as training, reskilling, awareness spreading and communication channels creation will set the basis of the bioeconomic transition, creating spaces of dialogue and involvement among all agents of the industry (academia, private and public), which will boost the stakeholders engagement for the integration of programmes and policies in turn of bioeconomy. The hereby proposed consortium is composed of stakeholders of all BIOEAST member states along with partners distributed throughout Western Europe (BE, FI, GER, IE, IT& ES).