Online seminar: Green biorefinery – a Green Deal for agriculture – producing sustainable soy protein alternatives and biobased products
This seminar will describe the disruptive potentials of new local biorefineries to contribute to EU self-sufficiency with plant protein and new biobased products while supporting EU policies on environment and climate.
Info about event
Time
Europe is under a dual pressure for fulfilling environmental demands and maintaining a productive agricultural sector, which can meet future demands for genuinely sustainable food supply. Further challenges is the use of fossil fuels and fossil-based products, which pose a serious threat to the climate. Likewise, the comprehensive European import of soy protein can have major environmental and climatical consequences on vulnerable areas of the world. On this backdrop and in full alignment with a Green Deal for Europe, new, innovative solutions are needed.
Research in the production and quality assessment of protein extracted from grass and clover crops has shown a disruptive potential. These crops have very positive effects on the environment and climate and are at the same time highly productive. Further research and innovation will make it possible for Europe to produce its own sustainable protein and new biobased products.
Now, SME’s as well as cooperatives and larger companies are showing their interest and have initiated the first businesses. These new solutions and businesses are in accordance with the European Green Deal and the EU Protein Strategy. Furthermore, they are well placed to contribute to the EU framework including the Common Agricultural Policy and Horizon Europe Programme.
Objectives
The seminar will describe the disruptive potentials of new local biorefineries to contribute to EU self-sufficiency with plant protein and new biobased products while supporting EU policies on environment and climate.
Programme
Moderator: Niels Halberg, Director, Danish Center for Food and Agriculture, Aarhus University
Programme for the online seminar | |
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15:00-15:05 | Welcome by MEPs Asger Christensen and Pernille Weiss |
15:05-15:15 | Opening speech: Jorge Pinto Antunes, Member of Cabinet, Commissioner for Agriculture |
15:15-15:25 | Key-note: The science behind the potentials of green biorefinery by Uffe Jørgensen, Head of Centre for Circular Bioeconomy, Aarhus University |
15:25-15:45 | The European potential – 2 cases: Turning underutilized grassland into valuable products by James Gaffey, Principal Investigator, Institute of Technology, Tralee, Ireland Biorefining of grass will contribute to a sustainable rural development in Europe by Johan Sanders, Grassa, The Netherlands. |
15:45-16:00 | Reflections from and questions to the Commission with Silke Boger from DG AGRI; Fabien Ramos from DG CLIMA; Tomasz Calikowski from DG RTD |
16:00-16:20 | Q&A to experts and Commission |
16:20-16:30 | Conclusion by MEP Pernille Weiss |
Expected participants
Decisions makers and stakeholders from industry, research and the civil society communities – including the areas of environment, agriculture, climate and food
Registration
For logistical reasons, we kindly ask you to register at the latest by 15 November.