Blue Bioeconomy: Transforming our relationship with the sea
Blue Wink-E 2024 brought to the fore fundamental discussions on the blue bioeconomy, underlining the urgency of uniting innovation, conscious consumption and sustainable practices in a world that is crying out for change.
The recent edition of Blue Wink-E 2024 was more than an event on the blue bioeconomy; it was a call to action. At the heart of this meeting was a simple but urgent question: how can we get consumers to embrace a new way of consuming and valuing the resources of the sea? The debates went beyond taste and price, touching on the knowledge gaps, prejudices, and practical difficulties that still limit the transformative potential of the blue bioeconomy. There is one certainty: the crucial importance of a global and collaborative approach to valorizing marine resources.
In this context, B2E CoLAB has played a key role in this process, acting as a catalyst for innovation, sustainability, and regulatory change. By promoting collaboration between academia, industry, civil society, and governments, B2E CoLAB can continue to help demystify the blue bioeconomy and create a favorable ecosystem for developing new products and services.
The importance of the consumer in this journey has also been highlighted. It is indeed unquestionable, but in this area, companies need to go beyond listening to the consumer’s opinion and actively involve them in the product creation process.
Global consumer trends, with special attention to zero waste and sustainability, echo current concerns. In fact, according to a report by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), the fisheries and aquaculture sector has the greatest potential to meet the growing global demand for sustainable protein. However, consumers still view many aquaculture products with suspicion, maintaining a perception of inferiority to fresh fish products. This mistrust can be reversed, as long as consumers are educated and exposed to the transparent and sustainable practices of the entire national sector.
In addition, the adoption of ESG (Environmental, Social, and Corporate Governance) policies and the presentation of life cycle analyses (LCA) are already recurring practices in major international markets and by national companies in the sector, which are so important in the area of environmental transparency. In this area too, B2E CoLAB is developing a path together with different partners. Not only because it already offers an LCA service to companies, but also because it is working closely with players in the sector, including the creation of an Intelligent Platform for the Valorization of Co-products from the Blue Bioeconomy (Fish Matter).
By promoting innovation, sustainability, and collaboration, B2E CoLAB is helping to build a more prosperous and sustainable future for Portugal and the world. Blue Wink-E 2024 brought an ambitious vision of how we can transform our relationship with the sea, moving towards a development model that does not compromise future generations.
The projects developed by B2E CoLAB, together with other national and international partners, make it clear that the future is blue and that the potential of marine resources, when properly harnessed, can effectively transform our economy, our way of consuming, and sustainable development.
