Efficient use of resources in the future bioeconomy – how to make trade-offs?
This webinar is part of the State of Europe’s Forests 2025 webinar series, which explores key findings from the State of Europe’s Forests 2025 report through discussions with policymakers, researchers and experts from across Europe. The transition towards a European bioeconomy involves growing ambitions to replace fossil-based raw materials with renewable biological resources. At the same time, the availability of these resources is limited and increasingly affected by climate change, land-use conflicts and rising global demand.
How can these limited resources be used efficiently while balancing climate action, biodiversity, food security, energy and economic development?
Moderated by Prof. Camilla Widmark (Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, SLU), the webinar brings together Linda Reinholdsson (Ministry for Rural Affairs and Infrastructure, Sweden), Baptiste Meunier (Ministry of Agriculture and Food Sovereignty, France) and Dr. Georg Rappold (Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry, Climate and Environmental Protection, Regions and Water Management, Austria). Together, they discuss how policy coherence, resource efficiency and cross-sectoral cooperation can support the transition to a sustainable and competitive bioeconomy. The discussion highlights the importance of balancing competing demands for biological resources, strengthening cooperation across sectors and governance levels, and creating the conditions needed for innovation and sustainable value chains.
The discussion also highlights practical examples of circular resource use, the importance of long-term and predictable policy frameworks, and the role of stakeholder engagement in building trust and supporting the future development of Europe’s bioeconomy.
The webinar was broadcasted and recorded on 17 June 2026. Find all dates and webinare here.
Watch the webinar recording
Read the summarising article about the webinar
Efficient use of resources in focus at webinar on Europe’s future bioeconomy – FOREST EUROPE
Speakers
Moderator
Camilla Widmark
Associate Professor, Department of Forest Economics (Head of department)
Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences (SLU)
Ms. Linda Reinholdsson
Deputy Director
Ministry for Rural Affairs and Infrastructure, Sweden
Dr. Georg Rappold
Director – Wood Policy, Bioeconomy and Innovation
Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry, Climate and Environmental Protection, Regions and Water Management, Austria
Mr. Baptiste Meunier
Head of the Bioeconomy Unit
Directorate-General for Economic and Environmental Performance of Enterprises (DGPE)
French Ministry of Agriculture and Food Sovereignty, France