Emerging Trends in Cyanobacterial Biotechnology for Sustainable Development

The ecological crisis has been detrimental to our ecosystem, where poor resource management and accumulated aquatic and environmental pollutants are the key interlinking factors for several global issues. It has necessitated adopting a pragmatic approach to natural resource management to mitigate this crisis. Sustainable management and conservation are pertinent to alleviating the atrocious effects of pollution and climate change. In this regard, circular bioeconomy is the core of sustainability to minimize the response to critical environmental challenges by cutting emissions and minimizing material loss. Cyanobacteria are considered fundamental renewable sustainability sources due to their unique physiochemical profile. This is the opening chapter of the book, which captures the multifaceted role of newly emerging cyanobacterial biotechnology in reducing CO2 emissions and aquatic pollution, along with the provision of biomass for sustainable production and processing value chains. Integrating environmental contaminants (wastewater and CO2) reclamation for value addition provides economic and ecological benefits. The novel product profile of cyanobacteria, including biopolymers, 3D printing, and carbon-negative pigments production, has indicated their immense potential for responsible production and consumption, which is discussed here. Besides it also provided an overview of the environmental and economic impact of cyanobacterial biotechnology, challenges encountered in the industrial inclusion and public acceptance of cyanobacterial products, and possible solutions to set out the path to greener, renewable, and sustainable future communities.