The Global Bioeconomy Summit 2020

     The Global Bioeconomy Summit (GBS) is a high-level, biennial international conference. It has become the leading event with a format to globally review and discuss emerging opportunities and challenges of the bioeconomy and develop visions for the future development of a sustainable bioeconomy among key actors from governments, science and innovation, business and civil society. The summit links bioeconomy policy closely to global sustainable development and climate agendas. The Summit was originally initiated by the Bioeconomy Council of the Federal German Government in 2015.
      There are three overarching bioeconomy contributions to people and planet:
• Bioeconomy for health and wellbeing as a key element in building back better during and after COVID-19;
• Science and technology breakthroughs advancing the sustainable bioeconomy;
• Climate action, ecosystems and biodiversity protection with and for sustainable bioeconomy.

     The direct output and outcomes of the GBS are:
    Communiqué with policy recommendations developed and agreed by the International Advisory Council on Global Bioeconomy (IACGB):
• Report on worldwide bioeconomy policy strategies;
• Exhibition of bio based product innovations and sustainable solutions from around the world;
• Showcasing of flagship projects;
• Collaboration and reporting on thematic priorities discussed during the GBS;
• Report on plenary sessions featuring thought leadership in bioeconomy policy and sustainable development;
• Networking and multilateral dialogues induced by the conference;
• Outreach through live web stream, social and traditional media coverage and public relations activities;
• Multiplier effects through participants’ word-of-mouth and follow-up activities in their spheres of influence.
     The International Advisory Council on Global Bioeconomy (IACGB) was looking for young champions motivated to engage with the global bioeconomy youth during the virtual Global Bioeconomy Summit 2020, 16th – 20th November 2020.
     For this reason, the IACGB decided to have a call. The objective of this call was to bring together an eclectic and geographically diverse leadership group of young people, from across the globe, who will act as ambassadors for the bioeconomy at GBS2020. Young people with a strong interest in global bioeconomy development could apply for it, e.g. high school and college students, young researchers and academics, young professionals, policymakers and entrepreneurs, young non-profit leaders, journalists and social media influencers.
     The Jury was extremely impressed by the diversity and quality of the more than 100 submissions, making it a very tough decision. However, the jury has selected eight Youth Champions for the Global Bioeconomy Summit 2020 and we are all very proud to present them.
     Yana Voitovska is a PhD Student at NULES Research Institute of Economics and Management (Ukraine) focusing on Circular Bioeconomy in Agriculture and a Programme Support Specialist in the Kyiv Office of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO). Together with Fellow National Senior Researchers of the Institute, Yana is working towards creation of the innovation hub to accelerate the promotion of the bioeconomy in Ukraine through mainstreaming of the bio-based products in the national development strategies and streamlining creation of the national bio-based sector, aiming at adopting a very first National Bioeconomy Development Strategy for Ukraine.

Olena Koval, head of the training and research laboratory
of economic theory and bioeconomy