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Executive Summary

Recent technological advances have enabled scientists to use renewable materials (e.g., plants, trees, waste) to create energy, materials, and products, disrupting current modes of consumption and production that rely on fossil fuels.

The industrial bioeconomy can reduce greenhouse gas emissions, improve food security, and boost sustainable economic development. But it is critical to balance its opportunities and its challenges to ensure sustainability. Without a sustainable source of biomass, the opportunities of the bioeconomy are untenable.

The report outlines how Canada can leverage its opportunity to build a vibrant bioeconomy while mitigating the risks. Policymakers can play a pivotal role in advancing the bioeconomy by adopting five key tools: developing a national bioeconomy strategy, implementing measures to spur demand, ensuring the sustainability and quality of biomass, providing support for the regulatory process, and strengthening the path to commercialization.