Earlier this June, the Horizon Europe sister projects CALIMERO and ALIGNED successfully co-hosted a high-level Science-for-Policy event in Brussels titled “Improved Assessment of Environmental Performance of Bio-Based Products.” The event gathered key stakeholders from science, policy, and industry to explore the future of Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) methodologies and their policy implications for bio-based sectors.
Held in a hybrid format at the Thon EU Hotel, the event attracted strong in-person attendance and a wide virtual audience. It featured expert presentations and interactive discussions with EU policy officers, MEP sustainability advisers, and business leaders from the bioeconomy. The session offered valuable insights into how harmonized environmental assessment practices can support the shift toward a sustainable, competitive bio-based economy.
Over the past three years, CALIMERO and ALIGNED have worked closely with industry actors and sector associations across woodworking, pulp and paper, chemicals, textiles, and construction. This event showcased the most significant results from their collaboration, including improved LCA methodologies, sector-specific sustainability recommendations, and innovative tools for decision-making.
A key focus of the event was fostering dialogue between scientists and policymakers to ensure that research outcomes can meaningfully inform regulatory frameworks. Speakers emphasized the need for standardised assessment methods and clear policy pathways to help bio-based products demonstrate their environmental benefits over fossil-based alternatives.
The event served not only as a platform to present scientific findings but also to strengthen cooperation between the research community and policy stakeholders, laying the groundwork for future policy development in support of the EU’s Green Deal and Circular Economy goals.
With all in-person seats filled well before the registration deadline and an engaged online audience, the event was widely considered a success, reinforcing the importance of cross-sector collaboration in advancing environmental performance in the bio-based sector.
