Monitoring the sustainability of the bioeconomy - Pilot in Uruguay

This publication focuses on how to monitor the sustainability of the bioeconomy and describes how to develop two monitoring systems; qualitative biomass flows of major agricultural commodities and their sustainability and circularity, and analysis of bio-based sectors within the wider economy. Both complement each other to obtain a comprehensive analysis of the sustainability of the bioeconomy and to provide a solid basis for assessing the circularity in biomass flows and cross-sectoral development of the bioeconomy. The study provides an example in Uruguay, for soybean, rice, livestock, forestry (coniferous and non-coniferous) and fisheries and aquaculture and analyses the sustainability of core products such as Eucalyptus pulp (forestry), beef (livestock), soybeans (crops), milk powder (dairy products) and fisheries. It also looks at the share of the bioeconomy within the national economy and analyses its sustainability. The Aspirational Principles and Criteria for a sustainable bioeconomy developed by the FAO-led International Sustainable Bioeconomy Working Group provide a useful monitoring template that could guide other countries and regions and link to the Sustainable Development Goals.