Bioeconomy and circular economy: critical reading and place of the livestock sectors

Abstract

Bioeconomy and circular economy have become key strategies in Europe since the 2000s, in order to shift away from fossil energy. Agriculture is at the heart of multiple issues: food, health, energy, biomaterials… While some agree that bioeconomy and circular economy have a significant potentialto contribute to the sustainable development goals andthe Paris climate Agreement, there are many critics, especially because ofthe lack of questioning or evidence of the links between bioeconomy/circular economy and sustainability. Here, we start from the institutional definitions of these two concepts to position the main criticisms that are made of them, but also the potentials. We will consider examples from the livestock sectors. We use criticism as a tool to unpack hidden assumptions and unanticipated consequences, and to re-evaluate what might otherwise be taken for granted, in order to discuss priorities so that bioeconomy and circular economy can be real means of achieving a sustainable society, and the place that livestock sectors can hold in it.