Again on the CONSOLE website blog, we disseminate a research publications carried out by CONSOLE partners authors: Davide Viaggi, Fabio Bartolini and Méri Raggi in Bio-based and Applied Economics.

The objective of the publication has been to carry out a bibliographic review related to the Bioeconomy, with the idea of ​​being able to identify relevant ways for future research.

As the authors point out in the Abstract, the publication is divided into four parts:

1. The role of the bioeconomy and its key statistics in the European Union (EU);
2. Economic issues related to the production of the Bioeconomy from the private perspective;
3. Review of socio-environmental aspects with a focus on ecosystem services;
4. Discussion of previous topics and cross-cutting problems to identify future research.

Also, our colleagues reported us about the recent EU strategies where they redefine the Bioeconomy as “an aggregate of sectors that use biological resources, emphasizing the interconnection with ecosystems and the contribution to economic development”. 

In addition, the authors point out the importance of the Bioeconomy in the Green Deal strategy, since it is exposed in the plan as the main means to achieve the changes necessary to address global challenges.

And they make it clear that publications related to the Bioeconomy is still in its infancy and that it tends to become mainstream.

It is clear that this publication is highly recommended, especially for those specialists in the field of bioeconomics, since it shows them an updated research path to follow.

On several occasions, from the CONSOLE project web platform, we have made known the advances reflected in the scientific articles, but trying to adopt a more popular language to make the most significant advances reach the world.

And this time we repeat with an article that was published in the prestigious magazine “nature communications” entitled “Options for reforming agricultural subsidies for health, climate, and economic perspectives”.

This article has been developed by Marco Springmann and Florian Freund; from the Department of Population Health, University of Oxford.

The objective of this research is to analyze the existing options to reform agricultural subsidies in line with the three key objectives of national and supranational administrations: the economy, health and the environment that we talk about so much on our website.

In the introduction of the article, the unsustainability of the food system that we know today is once again recognized, such as the low consumption of fruits, vegetables, legumes and nuts in favour of red and processed meat; which is causing a high mortality worldwide.

With regard to the environment, the food system is responsible for a third of greenhouse gas emissions and, therefore, one of the main responsible for climate change. Likewise, the primary sector uses ¾ parts of fresh water and occupies more than ⅓ of the Earth’s surface; which means a more than significant impact on ecosystems and the loss of biodiversity.

It is clear, as the research points out, that significant changes are needed in production models, of a technological innovation that allows these changes; but also changes towards the implementation in our lives of healthier diets and with less impact on the environment.

And obviously, agricultural subsidies play a fundamental role towards changing these models of production and consumption.

Springmann and Freund have developed a framework where they combine agricultural subsidies with environmental footprints and an assessment of health problems by countries (economic, environmental and health modelling), creating various scenarios that range from the total elimination of subsidies, the partial and total coupling of subsidies to beneficial environmental and sanitary products, provision of a more equitable view of subsidies between countries, etc.

In the results of the research, although we refer you to the publication, it is shown how the elimination of agricultural subsidies could be economically and environmentally beneficial; although it would have a negative impact on the health of the population. On the contrary, redirecting all subsidies to the production of food with characteristics beneficial to health and the environment could improve the health of the population, reduce GHG emissions, but have negative economic impacts. Partial reorientation of subsidies could mitigate economic losses and lead to gains in some scenarios, but would also be associated with lower benefits for health and the environment. Finally, combining the redirection of subsidies with a global restructuring of subsidy levels, according to GDP or population levels could lead to health benefits comparable to those of a redirection-only approach, but with a more equitable distribution between regions, similar or greater reductions in GHG emissions, as well as global economic benefits.

The New Year is a time to take stock. The border between December 31 and January 1 may be symbolic territory, but it also offers a real opportunity to start from scratch and make decisions, big or small, that can change the course of our lives.

So, that is the objective of the CONSOLE project, which seeks to establish a scientific, but above all human, base that allows better decisions to be made and to generate a total sustainable agricultural production.

I am resolved throughout the year
To lay my vices on the shelf;
A godly, sober course to steer
And love my neighbors as myself—
Excepting always two or three
Whom I detest as they hate me.


I am resolved—to flirt no more,
It leads to strife and tribulation;
Not that I used to flirt before,
But as a bar against temptation.
Here I except (cut out the names)
Perfectly Platonic flames.

Many other authors have written about those purposes that we have all thought of at some time. Rudyard Kipling, for example, takes it with a certain humour in this poem entitled, precisely, ‘New Year’s Resolutions:

New Year’s Day,
so much waiting, so what ?:
One more day.

However, most see the entries of the year as new opportunities to progress and be better as you can see in this verse by Mario Benedetti:

Don’t give up, you still have time
To reach out and start over
Accept your shadows
Bury your fears
Drop the ballast
Take flight again

In general, except in very exceptional cases, society as a whole has a positive trend firmly believing that we are going to improve one year after another and that we will have the strength to create a better world. But to improve, we must know our are our defects, accept them and correct them in time; what if it is a highly difficult task, right?

Since the 1970s, scientists have shown how the means of production, although they have allowed Europe to advance economically and socially, have not been correct since they have compromised the health of the planet and the people who live there. And again we have the opportunity to do things much better, by creating a sustainable model that is respectful of the environment and health.

And, despite the hardships that still face us, how good it would be to start this year 2022 leaving a little seed of hopes. 

Happy New Year