What could be the drivers to implement a circular bioeconomy in the field of forestry waste in the Province of Pazardzhik?
According to the participants of the second local Living Lab of the Province of Pazardzhik, these are:
- Legal incentives to produce renewable energies and biochemicals (e.g., tax reduction);
- Improve the efficiency of collection and treatment of biowaste from forestry in existing facilities;
- Financial incentives for investments;
- Reducing the risk of forest fires and thus the impact on flora and fauna and human health, as well as GHG emissions;
- Campaigns to explain to citizens that using raw wood as a fire-wood is not efficient and that there are other alternatives that are more efficient and environmentally friendly.
Asked about legal/administrative, technical, economic, environmental/health, and social barriers, the participants mainly mentioned uncertainty of forest administration and management (state, municipal, and private) does not allow for secure and long-term investments in the sector, lack of exchange of experiences and results, a low number of best practices transferred from other remote EU regions in the sector, unawareness of the sustainable use of wood biomass and lack of planning security for long-term, tender-bound investments (municipal vs. state vs. private administration).
The second local Living Lab of the Province of Pazardzhik took place online on 30 September. You can read more on this meeting here.