Regional Bioeconomy in Action: From Local Solutions to Global Transformation

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On 19 October, join us in Dublin to explore how regions across Europe are advancing the bioeconomy transition – from forestry and agricultural regions to coastal communities. Take the opportunity to connect with peers facing the same regional challenges. The event takes place as a satellite event of the Global Bioeconomy Summit (GBS).

From local solutions to shared direction

The bioeconomy transition is increasingly built region by region, through governance decisions and stakeholder initiatives. But regional actors rarely get the chance to exchange experiences.

This Global Bioeconomy Summit (GBS) satellite event, co-organised by the Horizon Europe BIO2REG project and EFI Bioregions, brings together regional policymakers, practitioners and researchers to compare notes on approaches that can be adapted across regional contexts, and explore opportunities for future collaboration.

It also marks the final public event of the BIO2REG project, presenting key findings and regional case studies in the context of the Bioeconomy Summit.

When: 19 October 2026
Time: 13:30–16:00
Where: The Gibson Hotel, Point Square, North Dock, D01 X2P2, Dublin, Ireland

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About the Global Bioeconomy Summit

The 2026 edition takes place in Dublin, Ireland, on 19–21 October 2026. The Regional Bioeconomy in Action event is a satellite session of the GBS, designed to bring a regional perspective to the global conversation.

Objective

The event aims to highlight the role of regions as a key implementation level of the bioeconomy, facilitate exchange on challenges and transferable approaches and contribute to the GBS objective of fostering dialogue across policy, research and practice.

Last update: 14 October 2026 (Local time)
Why regions matter for the bioeconomy transition
13:00 | Registration
13:30 | Welcome remarks: BIO2REG (Forschungszentrum Jülich) and EFI Bioregions (European Forest Institute)
13:40 | Regional pathways to the bioeconomy. Moderated by Siebe Briers, EFI Bioregions Deputy Coordinator and Senior Expert, European Forest Institute
Speakers:
Catalonia, Spain: Cristina Massot, Secretary General at the Department of Agriculture, Livestock, Fisheries and Food of the Government of Catalonia
Värmland, Sweden: Erik Evestam, Chair of the Regional Development Committee, Region Värmland
Southern Regional Assembly, Ireland: Anna Sellars, Economic & Policy Analyst, Southern Regional Assembly
North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany: Ulrich Schurr, Director, Institute of Plant Sciences, Forschungszentrum Jülich, and Co-Chair of the Bioeconomy Advisory Council of North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany

Siebe Briers, EFI Bioregions Deputy Coordinator and Senior Expert, European Forest Institute

Cristina Massot, Secretary General of the Department of Agriculture, Livestock, Fisheries and Food, Catalonia, Spain

Erik Evestam, Chair of the Regional Development Committee, Region Värmland, Sweden

Anna Sellars, Economic & Policy Analyst, Southern Regional Assembly

Ulrich Schurr, Director, Institute of Plant Sciences, Forschungszentrum Jülich, and Co-Chair of the Bioeconomy Advisory Council of North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany

Regional bioeconomy instruments: what works in practice
14:40 | Short pitches: practical implementation instruments from regions
Plant³Germany: Building a regional bioeconomy ecosystem in Northeast Germany. Christian Theel, Head of Innovation Management
EFI Bioregions – European Forest Institute: Financing, scaling and resource mobilisation. Lia Sweetman de Clar, Junior Expert
Forschungszentrum Jülich, Germany – BIO2REG: Peer learning and implementation support for regional bioeconomy. Denise Gider, Transformation Manager
Carbery Group, Ireland: Regional bioeconomy in practice: the Carbery Model. Enda Buckley, Director of Sustainability
Inter-American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture (IICA), Costa Rica: Regional Cluster Approaches and Multi-level Governance. Hugo Chavarría, Manager, Hemispheric Program for Bioeconomy and Productive Development
Hazi Foundation, Basque Country: BASODATA – Turning forest data into regional action, a shared data infrastructure for forest management and the bioeconomy in the Basque Country. Gorka Altuna Fernandez, Head of Forestry Department

Christian Theel, Innovation Manager of the Bioeconomy Cluster Plant³, University of Greifswald

Lia Sweetman de Clar, Junior Expert, European Forest Institute

Denise Gider, BIO2REG Coordinator and Transformation Manager, Forschungszentrum Jülich, Germany

Enda Buckley, Director of Sustainability, Carbery Group

Hugo Chavarría, Manager, Hemispheric Program for Bioeconomy and Productive Development, Inter-American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture (IICA)

Gorka Altuna Fernandez, Head of Forestry Department, Hazi Foundation

From regions to global action: stay, connect, continue
15:15 | Reflections: gaps, needs, interest to continue
A reflection segment draws out common threads across regional experiences and connects these to the wider GBS agenda

Thematic exchange tables, networking and refreshments
15:30 | Informal exchange over canapés and coffee, with BIO2REG partners hosting thematic tables on key aspects of regional bioeconomy transition

Siebe Briers

Bioregions Deputy Coordinator and Senior Expert, European Forest Institute

Cristina Massot

Secretary General of the Department of Agriculture, Livestock, Fisheries and Food, Catalonia, Spain

Erik Evestam

Chair of the Regional Development Committee, Region Värmland, Sweden

Anna Sellars

Economic & Policy Analyst, Southern Regional Assembly

Ulrich Schurr

Director, Institute of Plant Sciences, Forschungszentrum Jülich, and Co-Chair of the Bioeconomy Advisory Council of North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany

Christian Theel

Innovation Manager of the Bioeconomy Cluster Plant³, University of Greifswald

Lia Sweetman de Clar

Junior Expert, European Forest Institute

Denise Gider

BIO2REG Coordinator and Transformation Manager, Forschungszentrum Jülich, Germany

Enda Buckley

Director of Sustainability, Carbery Group

Hugo Chavarría

Manager, Hemispheric Program for Bioeconomy and Productive Development, Inter-American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture (IICA)

Gorka Altuna Fernandez

Head of Forestry Department, Hazi Foundation

Registration

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