Science for Policy

2015-02-16

Bio-economy Symposium: Sowing Innovation – Reaping Sustainability; Forests' Crucial Role in a Green Economy

IUFRO is pleased to announce the Bio-economy Symposium which will be held as part of the Austrian Forest Dialogue (Walddialog), prior to the IUFRO Enlarged Board meeting.


Vienna, Austria, 13–14 April 2015 - First Announcement


Programme overview:

13 April: 16:00 (BMLFUW, Stubenring 1) - note the earlier start of the programme!

  • Official reception hosted by the Austrian Minister responsible for forests
  • Keynote presentation by Dr. Xaver Edelmann (President of the World Resources Forum)
  • Statements by the Austrian Minister responsible for forests and the IUFRO President


14 April: 09:00 (Diplomatic Academy of Vienna, Favoritenstraße 15 a)

  • Presentations during the morning session aim to connect the topics of innovation, investments and employment, policy and governance to the overall theme of bio-economy.

    Speakers:
    Professor Lauri Hetemäki (European Forest Institute)
    Professor John Innes (University of British Columbia)
    Professor Daniela Kleinschmit (Freiburg University)

  • Open discussion with a focus on the role of science in the green economy

  • Panel discussion in the afternoon:
    National and international scientists and policy makers will discuss practical implications for policy and management at the national and international levels.


Rationale:

The bio-economy topic is covered by the IUFRO 2015-2019 Strategy and positioned within one of the five central research themes: Forests and Forest-based Products for a Greener Future. Emphasis is placed on: 1) new forest-based products and services, 2) use of forest resources and raw materials, and 3) valuing forests and their ecosystem services.

During the XXIV IUFRO World Congress in Salt Lake City, United States, the IUFRO Board agreed to convene a seminar on bio-economy in conjunction with the Enlarged Board meeting and in collaboration with the Austrian Ministry (BMLFUW) in April 2015 in Vienna, Austria.

The symposium aims to review the state of global discussions and knowledge regarding the role of forests in the bio-economy and to provide a platform for dialogue with stakeholders in order to identify knowledge gaps and information needs in support of moving towards a future bio-economy. The outcomes of the seminar will contribute to the implementation of the IUFRO Strategy 2015-2019 and at the same time provide input to the development of national strategies and policies for forests in a bio-economy, with particular emphasis on the case of Austria.

Participation in the Symposium is free of charge.

A more detailed agenda and practical information will be sent out with the 2nd Announcement of the Symposium.

Files:
vie15-eb-symposium-1st-announcement-revised.pdf159 Ki
<- Back to: Science for Policy