In its 2020 communiqué, the International Advisory Council on Global Bioeconomy has urged to strengthen good practices and policies to advance the global bioeconomy. The transition from a fossil-based economy to a bioeconomy happens at three levels: technological, organizational and social. In particular, agri-food systems are key to achieve a shift to sustainable and circular production and consumption patterns, since they occupy the biggest share of the bioeconomy from an economic, value-added perspective as well as having potential for discovery and innovation.  

This Compendium outlines 250 sources of good practices and policies. It covers the entire continuum of economic sectors that have a stake in biological knowledge and resources. The Compendium, therefore, highlights the wide range of aspects that are included in the concept of the bioeconomy. Being an inherently multisectoral process that involves potential synergies and trade-offs among different sustainability objectives, the implementation of bioeconomy strategies presents greater challenges than activities that are focused on a single sector. The report also shows how good practices and policies contribute to the translation of bioeconomy strategies into coordinated actions for the achievement of local priorities and sustainability goals, while also addressing global issues.

This study aims to provide law-and policy-makers, researchers, as well as private and public sector partners, with a comprehensive overview of the legal and institutional issues to consider when working towards preparing their agriculture sectors for the challenges of climate change.

This case study chronicles Viet Nam’s experiences in conducting vulnerability and risk assessments (VRAs) of selected agriculture sectors at the national level and a cost-benefit analysis (CBA) to support sectoral adaptation planning, budgeting, and policy formulation. Lessons learned from these endeavours can provide insights for other countries who are seeking, like Viet Nam, to develop an evidence-based and climate risk-informed National Adaptation Plan (NAP) and/or adaptation plans for the agriculture sector.

This publication describes climate-smart agriculture (CSA) case studies from around the world, showing how the approach is implemented to address challenges related to climate change and agriculture. The case studies operationalize the five action points for CSA implementation: expanding the evidence base for CSA, supporting enabling policy frameworks, strengthening national and local institutions, enhancing funding and financing options, and implementing CSA practices at field level. The publication provides examples of the innovative roles that farmers, researchers, government officials, private sector agents and civil society actors can play to transform food systems and help meet the Sustainable Development Goals; it also demonstrates how these actors can collaborate. The case studies discuss context-specific activities that sustainably increase agricultural productivity and incomes, adapt and build resilience of people and food systems to climate change, and reduce and/or remove greenhouse gas emissions where possible.

The UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration provides a unique opportunity to transform food, fibre and feed production systems to the needs of the 21st century, and to eradicate poverty, hunger and malnutrition. This report presents the case for why we all must throw our weight behind a global restoration effort. Drawing on the latest scientific evidence, it explains the crucial role played by ecosystems from forests and farmland to rivers and oceans, and charts the losses that result from our poor stewardship of the planet. The UN Decade runs from 2021 through 2030 and is led by the United Nations Environment Programme and the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations.