Bioeconomic power aspects in global value chains – approaches, impacts and perspectives for certification and due diligence schemes for biogenic bulk raw materials

The project's overall objective is to formulate recommendations for action with respect to the possibilities and limitations of corporate due diligence and certification systems in the global value chains of biomass resources. Germany and the European Union (EU) depend to a large extent on the import of different biomass resources. Many of these resources are used not only in the food sector but also in industrial production and energy production. However, the extraction and production of bulk commodities in non-OECD countries in many cases are closely linked with social and ecological issues. These range from the excessive use of agrochemicals to the funding of armed conflicts. In terms of the bio-economic transformation, the challenge resulting from this is to influence both, the present situation as well as the medium and long-term effects and conflicts of use of an increasing demand in such a way as to sustain the important ecosystem services, and on the other hand, to reduce, as far as possible, the potential for conflict and to improve socio-economic opportunities on a global scale.