Accelerating the Global Transition to a Bio-based Economy: The Strategic Role of Policy

The report examines how policy acts as a fundamental enabler for the tech-driven bioeconomy, using case studies like COVID-19 mRNA vaccines and sustainable aviation fuels to demonstrate how streamlined regulation and financial incentives can scale bio-innovations to address climate change and human health crises.

• Emergency regulatory approvals were critical in the rapid deployment of mRNA vaccines during the COVID-19 pandemic, with vaccinations estimated to have saved nearly 20 million lives in the first year of use.
• Bio-based production of chemicals offers significant emissions reductions compared to fossil-based processes; for example, the commercial bio-production of organic acids can reduce greenhouse gas emissions by up to 90%.
• Sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) can reduce aviation emissions by 80% compared to conventional jet fuel, but adoption is hindered by costs that are 120-700% higher than traditional fuels.
• Biogas produced from waste streams has the potential to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by up to 90% for the generation of heat and electricity.
• The adoption of biotech crops has significantly reduced pesticide use and greenhouse gas emissions, with reductions in pesticide use between 50% and 70% for specific crops in regions including Africa, India, China, the US, and Brazil.
• Alternative protein production through fermentation and cellular agriculture can drastically lower environmental impacts; fermentation can reduce emissions by up to 90%, and cultivated meat's carbon footprint is 92% lower than conventional beef when using renewable energy.

APA

World Economic Forum (2024). Accelerating the Global Transition to a Bio-based Economy: The Strategic Role of Policy. https://www3.weforum.org/docs/WEF_Accelerating_the_Global_Transition_to_a_Bio_based_Economy_2024.pdf

Chicago

World Economic Forum. Accelerating the Global Transition to a Bio-based Economy: The Strategic Role of Policy. 2024. https://www3.weforum.org/docs/WEF_Accelerating_the_Global_Transition_to_a_Bio_based_Economy_2024.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=World Economic Forum |title=Accelerating the Global Transition to a Bio-based Economy: The Strategic Role of Policy |date=September 2024 |url=https://www3.weforum.org/docs/WEF_Accelerating_the_Global_Transition_to_a_Bio_based_Economy_2024.pdf |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{worldeconomicforum2024accelerating, author = {{World Economic Forum}}, title = {{Accelerating the Global Transition to a Bio-based Economy: The Strategic Role of Policy}}, institution = {World Economic Forum}, year = {2024}, month = sep, url = {https://www3.weforum.org/docs/WEF_Accelerating_the_Global_Transition_to_a_Bio_based_Economy_2024.pdf}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }