Busy week at Ecomondo for Transition2BIO and EuBioNet!

The week of the 7th of November 2022 started with the speech “Addressing challenges to unlock bio-plastics potential: the contribution of EU-funded projects”, delivered by Susanna Albertini from FVA New Media Research during the Cluster meeting: Horizon 2020 and Horizon Europe projects contributing to the EU Plastics Strategy organized by the European Research Executive Agency (REA), on the 8^th of November, as part of the Glaukos Project and European Bioeconomy Network activities.

During the speech two innovative formats were presented:

• Projects2Projects, facilitating collaboration and mutual learning among projects, that was validated in Brussels on the 5^th of October in a workshop organized by the European Bioeconomy Network and the European Commission, involving more than 40 project promoting the circular bioeconomy.
• Projects2Policy format, shortening the gap between EU funded projects and policies, facilitating the awareness and adoption of project’s results. The format is part of a series of workshops organized by Glaukos and Bio-Plastics Europe Projects, involving 49 projects and around 20 Policy Officers from different DGs. The last appointment is foreseen for the next 23th November.

On the 9^th of November, during the conference session “Commit to the Mission Charter to contribute to a healthy “pollution free” MED, organized by Ecomondo Scientific Technical Committee, BlueMed GSOs, Federchimica-PlasticsEurope Italia, Conference of Peripheral Maritime Regions (CPMR), National Research Council of Italy (CNR), Susanna Albertini delivered the speech “Experiences from EU funded projects contributing to the Mission Charter for a healthy “pollution free” MED”. During the speech some good practices from Transition2Bio, Biovoices, the European Bioeconomy Network and Glaukos have been presented.

The workshop was an important opportunity to learn how Mediterranean projects and initiatives, but also industrial and policy actors, as well as NGOs and citizens can become active “Missioners”, sharing their activities and ambitions to support the Mission “Restore our Ocean and Waters by 2030” by adhering to the Mission charter. John Bell, European Commission’s ‘Healthy Planet” Director, delivered a very inspirational talk about the vision and objectives of the Mission.

On 11^th November, Serena Fabbrini from APRE presented the recently funded project GenB, aiming at inspiring, educating, involving and supporting the young generations to become the ambassadors of the circular bioeconomy in the European Commission area dedicated to EU funded projects. The book for kids “What’s Bioeconomy”, produced by the projects BIOVOICES and Transition2Bio was promoted as a good practice to engage the primary school students with these topics.

Finally FVA team, representing Transition2Bio and Glaukos, was involved in the expert focus group “Are Bio-based plastics the future for toy applications?”, organized by Alma Mater Studiorum-University of Bologna, in the context of Bio-Plastics Europe project and involving the most relevant stakeholders in bio-plastics and toys, to discuss is Bio-based and biodegradable plastics can be a suitable solution for the toys industry.

What a week!