Transition from Linear to Circular Bioeconomy for the Sustainable Production of Green Chemicals

Governments around the world have been developing political and economic tools to tackle the serious environmental issues caused by the indiscriminate exploitation of fossil fuels. Moreover, the United Nations’ 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) have refreshed the world’s approach to tackling sustainability issues and highlighted the need for coordinated action from a variety of societal players. The bioeconomy and the circular economy are the popular narratives that are included in the idea of sustainability. Therefore, to reduce environmental stress and enhance the security of the supply of primary raw materials, a transition from a linear to a circular economy is essential. The idea of bioeconomy or circular economy requires adopting sustainable agriculture systems where the concept of “cradle to grave” is implemented. Current management practices for the vast amounts of agro-industrial waste generated globally such as landfill and incineration are not considered environmentally friendly strategies. The cultivation of different food crops could experience a decrease in waste production and GHG emissions if the residual biomass is valued and put back into the production system using a “closing the loop” strategy. This strategy would also support the growth of the bioeconomy and the achievement of different SDGs.