Towards More Nuanced Narratives in Bioeconomy Strategies and Policy Documents to Support Knowledge-Driven Sustainability Transitions

Juliane Stoye (), Michael P. Schlaile, Moritz von Cossel (), Stefano Bertacchi, Rita Escórcio, Bastian Winkler, Thomas P. Curran, Laoise Ní Chléirigh, Máire Nic an Bhaird, Jan Bazyli Klakla, Pieter Nachtergaele, Hailey Ciantar, Philipp Scheurich, Iris Lewandowski and Evelyn Reinmuth
Additional contact information
Juliane Stoye: Bioeconomy Office Hohenheim, University of Hohenheim, Wollgrasweg 43, 70599 Stuttgart, Germany
Michael P. Schlaile: Department of Societal Transition and Agriculture, University of Hohenheim, Schloss Hohenheim 1C, 70599 Stuttgart, Germany
Moritz von Cossel: Department of Biobased Resources in the Bioeconomy, University of Hohenheim, Fruwirthstr. 23, 70599 Stuttgart, Germany
Stefano Bertacchi: IndBiotech Lab, Department of Biotechnology and Biosciences, University of Milano Bicocca, 20126 Milan, Italy
Rita Escórcio: ITQB-NOVA—Instituto de Tecnologia Química e Biológica António Xavier, Universidade Nova de Lisboa, 2780-157 Oeiras, Portugal
Bastian Winkler: Department of Biobased Resources in the Bioeconomy, University of Hohenheim, Fruwirthstr. 23, 70599 Stuttgart, Germany
Thomas P. Curran: School of Biosystems and Food Engineering, Agriculture and Food, University College Dublin, Science Belfield Dublin 4, D04 V1W8 Dublin, Ireland
Laoise Ní Chléirigh: Froebel Department of Primary and Early Childhood Education, Maynooth University, W23 WK26 Maynooth, Ireland
Máire Nic an Bhaird: Froebel Department of Primary and Early Childhood Education, Maynooth University, W23 WK26 Maynooth, Ireland
Jan Bazyli Klakla: CASE—Center for Social and Economic Research, ul. Zamenhofa 5/1b, 00-165 Warsaw, Poland
Pieter Nachtergaele: Research Group STEN, Ghent University, Coupure Links 653, B-9000 Ghent, Belgium
Hailey Ciantar: Alumna, Tilburg Law School, Tilburg University, 5037 DE Tilburg, The Netherlands
Philipp Scheurich: Bioeconomy Office Hohenheim, University of Hohenheim, Wollgrasweg 43, 70599 Stuttgart, Germany
Iris Lewandowski: Department of Biobased Resources in the Bioeconomy, University of Hohenheim, Fruwirthstr. 23, 70599 Stuttgart, Germany
Evelyn Reinmuth: Bioeconomy Office Hohenheim, University of Hohenheim, Wollgrasweg 43, 70599 Stuttgart, Germany

Sustainability, 2025, vol. 17, issue 19, 1-16

Abstract: The bioeconomy has been discussed as a key strategy for addressing sustainability challenges, particularly regarding the transition from fossil-based to bio-based systems, in numerous national and supranational strategies and policy documents related to the bioeconomy. However, public understanding of and engagement with the bioeconomy remains limited. This is partly due to the bias of many bioeconomy strategies and policy documents towards technological solutions that tend to overlook the social, normative, and transformative dimensions of systemic change as well as the necessary knowledge. This opinion paper explores the potential of narratives as a means of communicating bioeconomy research in public policy, with the aim of addressing the communication gap between science, policy, and society. When applied in responsible and nuanced ways that acknowledge their embeddedness and context, bioeconomy (policy) narratives can support sensemaking for science communication, improve public understanding, facilitate stakeholder engagement and behavioural change. We argue that such narrative approaches can help to create narrative ‘boundary objects’ that can support more inclusive and participatory processes, enabling the co-creation of transformative knowledge for bioeconomy transitions with stakeholders as active participants. In summary, we highlight several opportunities, as well as limitations and implications, that could inform future work on bioeconomy narratives.

Keywords: bio-based systems; bioeconomy; policy; narratives; societal transition; science communication; stakeholder engagement; transformative knowledge (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2025
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