In support of the implementation of the Strategy "Innovating for Sustainable Growth: a Bioeconomy for Europe", a Bioeconomy Stakeholders' Conference will provide opportunities for public awareness raising and for an informed dialogue on the progress of the bioeconomy, involving researchers, stakeholders, policy makers and the civil society at large across the whole bioeconomy value chain. The conference titled "The European Bioeconomy Scene 2019" will address in particular the importance of aligning all stakeholders around the creation of new markets and boosting investments in the bioeconomy, to deliver jobs and inclusive, sustainable economic growth. The organisation of such a conference will build on efforts undertaken in this direction by the European Commission and the Finnish Presidency of the Council of the EU. The conference will take place in July 2019 in Helsinki, Finland. This conference will help implement important EU policies and initiatives especially the EU Bioeconomy Strategy, but also the Circular Economy Package. The conference serves as an important input to the future orientation of the European Bioeconomy Strategy. The conference is designed and accomplished in close cooperation with the European Commission and the Finnish Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry (in cooperation with the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Employment and the Ministry of the Environment as well as the Prime Minister’s Office).

Europe's environment is in an alarming state, with climate change effects aggravating. To secure economic prosperity, human wellbeing and social peace, systemic transformative change of our society is imperative. Ecosystem restoration using nature-based solutions (NbS) is key to this change, in which freshwaters hold a pivotal role. MERLIN will demonstrate freshwater restoration best-practice; implement innovative NbS at landscape-scale; upscale systemic restoration seizing green growth and private investment opportunities; mainstream restoration by co-development with local communities and economic sectors; multiply solutions for transformative restoration to key players of systemic change. MERLIN will capitalise on successful freshwater restoration projects across Europe. Success factors of 17 flagship projects will be scrutinized, generating a blueprint for proficient NbS implementation. With investments of 10 mio Euro in hands-on upscaling measures along scalability plans, MERLIN will transform these projects into beacons of innovation for systemic change. Upscaling to the European level, MERLIN will identify landscapes with high potential for transformative restoration and will analyse cost-benefits of restoration scenarios. Economic analyses of European regions will seize green growth opportunities arising from restoration. MERLIN will delineate models for private investment into restoration alongside public funding. MERLIN's initiatives will co-design win-win solutions with economic sectors (agriculture, water supply, insurance, navigation) and local communities, spearheading systemic economic, social and environmental change. The MERLIN Academy and virtual marketplace will multiply innovations to the community of practice, investors and policy makers across Europe and beyond. MERLIN is committed to a sustainable, climate-neutral and -resilient, inclusive and transformative path, mainstreaming restoration as a cornerstone for systemic change.