Indigenous groups contest the profit-driven foundations of the bioeconomy
In the vast expanse of the Pan-Amazon region, home to over 400 Indigenous peoples, the bioeconomy is being hailed as a promising solution to poverty, hunger, and escalating violence. This burgeoning sector, currently valued at US$4 trillion globally and expected to reach US$38.5 trillion by 2050, represents a significant opportunity for economic development, biodiversity conservation, and social well-being.
The G20 Initiative on Bioeconomy (GIB), secured in September 2024, marks the first multilateral agreement addressing this subject. The GIB encourages country-specific approaches, with three thematic axes - biotechnology, bioresources, and bioecology. However, it does not present a clear definition of the term, leaving room for disputes that can have concrete repercussions on the ground.
These disputes divide the bioeconomy into two clashing concepts: one that respects the forest's ecological limits and values traditional cultures and social justice, and another that boils down to replicating predatory production models in industries like biofuels and biomass. The production chain of the Brazil nut, for instance, sees the processing industry keep nearly 80% of the total revenue generated, while the local communities that harvest the nuts get little more than 10%.
Experts suggest a different approach. Adding value to forest products and carving out market niches that recognize their unique costs can help achieve a sustainable bioeconomy. Pre-processing can expand product variety and increase selling prices up to five times. Capacity building and business-oriented technical assistance are key in ensuring a larger share of the revenue stays in the territory.
Indigenous stewardship plays a crucial role in the bioeconomy. Indigenous Peoples control about 80% of the world’s remaining biodiversity and manage it through centuries-old sustainable practices, contributing significantly to ecological balance, climate adaptation, and biodiversity protection. Recognizing and integrating Indigenous knowledge and stewardship is, therefore, essential for a sustainable bioeconomy.
Inclusive governance and decision-making frameworks that respect Indigenous rights, promote restorative justice, collective care, and intergenerational responsibility are also vital. Indigenous women, in particular, play vital roles in cultural transmission and social resilience.
Addressing legal, social, and political barriers is another critical step. Despite their ecological stewardship, Indigenous Peoples often face inequalities, legal confusion, and political inaccessibility that limit their participation in bioeconomy benefits. Strengthening their land rights and participation is essential.
The bioeconomy must avoid being reduced to merely an extractive or financial enterprise masquerading as sustainable. Instead, it should prioritize people and ecosystems, shifting from exploitation to inclusion and respect. Events like COP30 are strategic platforms to promote such a narrative shift and reinforce commitments for Indigenous inclusion.
Building regional alliances and partnerships among governments, Indigenous organizations, investors, and academia is critical for a coordinated approach to sustainable development that balances economic, social, and environmental objectives. The Union of Indigenous Women of the Brazilian Amazon (UMIAB) believes that replicating and expanding productive arrangements already existing in their territory is the best strategy for local communities to develop a bioeconomy with positive social, environmental, and economic results.
A truly Amazonian bioeconomy must be defined by its processes, more than its products. It must prioritize zero deforestation, valuing and protecting biodiversity, preserving traditional production methods and local knowledge, and equitable benefit sharing. A paradigm that respects Indigenous stewardship, integrates traditional ecological knowledge, and promotes social equity alongside conservation goals is needed to ensure the bioeconomy benefits all, not just a few.
Despite these challenges, the potential and contributions of the bioeconomy to national economies remain underestimated due to informality and lack of record-keeping. The GIB proposes international collaboration for sustainable development and an inclusive and equitable bioeconomy, which, if implemented effectively, could transform the Amazon into a model of low-carbon development by enhancing the socio-biodiversity economy and carbon markets, supporting forest-dependent populations, and generating sustainable livelihoods.
References:
- The Guardian
- Amazon Environmental Research Institute
- Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC)
- United Nations Development Programme (UNDP)
- World Wildlife Fund (WWF)
Read also:
- President von der Leyen's address at the Fourth Renewable Hydrogen Summit, delivered remotely
- Unveiling Innovation in Propulsion: A Deep Dive into the Advantages and Obstacles of Magnetic Engines
- Intensified farm machinery emissions posing challenges to China's net-zero targets
- EU Fuel Ban Alerts Mercedes Boss of Potential Crisis
