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World BioEconomy Forum goes online

This year’s third World BioEconomy Forum (WCBEF) will be broadcast live from Ruka, Finland on 10 September 2020. Due the current global pandemic the Advisory Board has decided to take a cautious approach and will provide delegates with a high-quality, interactive virtual event. Source: Timberbiz

The event will deliver the usual high-level content, while at the same time as providing a unique experience for all bioeconomy stakeholders from around the world.

The full program will be six hours in duration and will consist of four dedicated sessions: Regulators and Climate Change, Global Leaders and Financial World, Bioproducts around us, and Looking to the Future.

In each of these sessions the audience can contribute interactively on message walls and arrange online meetings with the other participants using the technology and channels provided.

The Covid-19 pandemic has emphasized the importance of the bioeconomy.

“The links between pandemics and the climate emergency, including escalating emissions and deforestation rates, have been reported worldwide. Countries have been issuing numerous economic stimulus packages valued at around 10% of their respective GDPs to rescue the world from economic collapse,” Aida Greenbury cofounder of WCBEF said.

“The question ‘how are we going to pay back these debts while ensuring that future pandemics will be avoided?’ has been in the minds of many country leaders. We can’t continue to pay our debts through further environmental destruction.

“The bioeconomy community can play an important role in shaping the future global economy by addressing these environmental issues head on.”

Speakers and panellists already lined up include Commissioner Mariya Gabriel from the EU Commission, Petter Taalas Director General of the WMO and Mette Wilkie from the FAO. On the enterprise side, CEO of pulp giant Suzano, Walter Schalka will join the forum, along with General Partner Michael Nettersheim of the European Circular BioEconomy Fund and Ahmed Fahmi Chief of the Section of Innovation and Capacity Building in the Natural Sciences sector at UNESCO.

The core WCBEF team will be orchestrating the event from Ruka, Finland.

“COVID-19 has put us into a completely new situation and we need to act in a responsible way. First, I thought that this would hit us hard regarding our proposed event in Ruka this year, but now I see our virtual event as a great opportunity. We can reach an even larger audience,” Founder and Chairman of the Board Jukka Kantola said.

“We are excited about the new format and see this global platform as an opportunity to reinforce our message and our influence on the global bioeconomy and climate change agenda.”

For more information visit: http://www.wcbef.com/