By definition, we have the chance to make our world better if everyone living in it would become happy. In order for everyone to be happy, they need to have a healthy life, sufficient food, live in a clean environment and finally have a purpose in their life. By 2050 the global human population will have reached 9 billion, the majority of whom will not live a happy life if we fail to alter our current development path. Certain technologies and sectors often have an overlooked potential to help us take the important steps on the path toward sustainability. Industrial biotechnology is one of them.

Industrial biotechnology is the application of basic biology principles in parallel with advanced technology in order to efficiently produce and process chemicals, materials and bio-energy. By utilizing the power of microbiomes, micro-organisms and enzymes industrial biotechnology empowers the production of products in sectors such as food, chemicals, electronics and energy. All the above play a major role in the reduction of CO2 emissions, provide sustainable alternatives to food and fossil-based fuels and lead to improved health and nutrition of the population. The overall idea is to do more with less. Even though the sector is still in its infancy, most, if not all of the countries globally recognize the potential for their citizens.

Industrial biotechnology can drive the change into a bio based economy. Such an economy will be based on a production that relies on biological processes and, as every natural ecosystem, use natural input, expend minimum amount of energy and do not produce waste. The big question is to what extent the industrial biotechnology can transform a universally unsustainable system into a sustainable and bio based one - or just drop a “pinch” of green into a dirty one.

The sector has all the fonts needed in order to deliver big results for the system, but certain actions need to be implemented. All of the nations need to work on long term innovation enabling frameworks that will help scientists, technologists and entrepreneurs unleash the full capabilities of them. Also a supportive funding framework needs to be established. Finally, the markets need to be encouraged through policies and incentives in order to uptake bio based products.

The path to making peoples’ lives happier is not easy, but we need to be mindful of where they are likely to end up if we continue our current path. With this in mind, it is undoubtable that we should explore and support the innovative pathway of industrial biotechnology.

By definition, we have the chance to make our world better if everyone living in it would become happy. In order for everyone to be happy, they need to have a healthy life, sufficient food, live in a clean environment and finally have a purpose in their life. By 2050 the global human population will have reached 9 billion, the majority of whom will not live a happy life if we fail to alter our current development path. Certain technologies and sectors often have an overlooked potential to help us take the important steps on the path toward sustainability. Industrial biotechnology is one of them.

Industrial biotechnology is the application of basic biology principles in parallel with advanced technology in order to efficiently produce and process chemicals, materials and bio-energy. By utilizing the power of microbiomes, micro-organisms and enzymes industrial biotechnology empowers the production of products in sectors such as food, chemicals, electronics and energy. All the above play a major role in the reduction of CO2 emissions, provide sustainable alternatives to food and fossil-based fuels and lead to improved health and nutrition of the population. The overall idea is to do more with less. Even though the sector is still in its infancy, most, if not all of the countries globally recognize the potential for their citizens.

Industrial biotechnology can drive the change into a bio based economy. Such an economy will be based on a production that relies on biological processes and, as every natural ecosystem, use natural input, expend minimum amount of energy and do not produce waste. The big question is to what extent the industrial biotechnology can transform a universally unsustainable system into a sustainable and bio based one - or just drop a “pinch” of green into a dirty one.

The sector has all the fonts needed in order to deliver big results for the system, but certain actions need to be implemented. All of the nations need to work on long term innovation enabling frameworks that will help scientists, technologists and entrepreneurs unleash the full capabilities of them. Also a supportive funding framework needs to be established. Finally, the markets need to be encouraged through policies and incentives in order to uptake bio based products.

The path to making peoples’ lives happier is not easy, but we need to be mindful of where they are likely to end up if we continue our current path. With this in mind, it is undoubtable that we should explore and support the innovative pathway of industrial biotechnology.