The "Bio"-Economy

(English Version, French Version) (Varin, 2013, 2017, 2019 in soumission)

We known the ecology, biology, biodiversity, agriculture Ecologically Intensive, organic farming, NBIC (Nanotechnology, Biotechnology, Information Technology and Cognitive Science), etc. These were scientific and technical disciplines. But since the 1990s, the economy here begins to be "bio" with the Environmental economics, ecological economics, sustainable development and the "bio" and "bio-market."

What does this neologism little known? New concepts? A new trick of communications or marketing or greenwashing? I present to a brief outline: i) the theoretical aspects (to give you light); ii) I will put my skills and my expertise in this context.

What is Economy?

Economy (the ancien greek οἰκονομία / oikonomía :”administration of a home”) is the human activity that consists in producing, exchanging, distributing, and consuming goods and services, studied by economics and realised inside an economic system. It is responsible for human activities and institutions for satisfying the human needs of the society.

What is Environmental Economics?

From the greenhouse effect and biodiversity loss through the pollution in its many forms, the environmental issue has now fully integrated into multidisciplinary scientific fields and more recently the economic world. This Cultural Revolution began in the 1970s with the environmental awareness following the media coverage of the first major pollution. The emergence of the concept of environmental economics takes place. The Environmental Economics is a branch of economics that deals with a theoretical point of view of economic relations between human societies and the environment. It is a neighboring, but separate field of ecological economics. Thus, the Environmental Economics is a sub-field of economics that is concerned with environmental issues. Quoting from the National Bureau of Economic Research Environmental Economics program: “ [...] Environmental Economics [...] undertakes theoretical or empirical studies of the economic effects of national or local environmental policies around the world [...]. Particular issues include the costs and benefits of alternative environmental policies to deal with air pollution, water quality, toxic substances, solid waste, and global warming.” The Environmental economics is distinguished from ecological economics in that ecological economics emphasizes the economy as a subsystem of the ecosystem with its focus upon preserving natural capital.

The work of bio-economy realised by Nicholas Georgescu-Roegen are precursors of ecological economics insofar as they were the first to integrate the boundary and finite natural resources into economic models (Georgescu-Roegen, 1971), although known a long time by scientists. Thus, a market may be down or disappear given the limits of resources or technological evolutions for to overcome these constraints or these disturbances of civilizations. Market failure is a central concept in environmental economics. Market failure signified that markets fail toallocate resources efficiently to civilization (Hanley et al., 2006). Thus, there is a gap between what a private person is willing to pay on market for environment and the quantity money invested by Company (Bator, 1958). Common forms of market failure include certain negative externalities (Pigou, 1932) or the apparent free or gratuit of natural capital and ecosystem services (Costanzaet al., 1997).

Therefore, an externality is a consequence of the interdependence of economic agents what escapes the system of market appreciation or beyond the system of market appreciation. For example, pollution and degradation caused by some or technologies. Consequently, the various protections cost for those who are victims. But it should be noted that at present the costs of protection and social coverage were not included in the global economic balance of technological use. We can discuss agricultural pollution inducted by the petrochemical doping into cultures thatcauses multiple environmental pollution and many effects on public health (diseases). Besides, the economic balance of the use of doping petrochemical does not include the loss of biodiversity, thus the cost majority and medical costs of many diseases, water recycling, the recycling and processing of materials and products (etc.). These cost are for majority at the expense of individuals and the community. In use of nuclear technology, shale gas and others, these problems also occur.

Finally, in assessing the global economy, it is necessary to take into account results of scientific research as a cornerstone essential to the Well-being and sustainability of our societies in the future.

What is Ecological economics?

Ecological economics is a branch of economics interface with ecology. It examines the interdependence and co-evolution between human societies and ecosystems in time and space. The interest of this research is to guide the actions of economic actors, public and private types to ensure sustainable development. That is to say, this economy reconciles economic progress, social justice, and environmental protection. We must distinguish ecological economics of environmental economics that aims to assess the economic cost of environmental damage (in terms ofexternalities) and the monetary value of ecosystem services in the context of neoclassical theory.

The ecological economics adds the evaluation of natural capital in the evaluation of gross domestic product (GDP). It corresponds to the natural capacities of production for a territory.Pictorially, sustainable development is to consume natural capital interests while preserving it. In other words, the goal is to meet the needs of current generations without compromising the abilityof future generations and to meet their own needs: « répondre aux besoins des générations actuelles sans compromettre la capacité des générations futures à répondre aux leurs » (Brundtland Report, United Nation, 1987; Smith, 1998).

What is Sustainable Development?

In the 50s, the society created one need for regulation of the market which analyzes human productions according to various criteria such as non-competition and the level of excludability(such as public goods) (Wiseman, 1957).

So in the 1990s, a new concept of public interest is applied to economic growth. This is Sustainable Development (Fig. 1).

Figure. 1. The three pillars of sustainability

The Sustainable Development aims to establish standards that will meet human needs while preserving the environment not only for the present but also the future (Brundtland Report, 1987, United Nation, 1987; Smith, 1998 CRDD, 2012) . The term was used by the Brundtland report, which gave him its legitimacy and significance of economic development that "meets the needs of the present without compromising those of future generations" (United Nation, 1987; Smith, 1998). In addition, Sustainable development is a road-map, an action plan, for achieving sustainability in any activity that uses resources and where immediate and intergenerational replication is demanded. As such, sustainable development is the organizing principle for sustaining finite resources necessary to provide for the needs of future generations of life on the planet. It is a process that envisions a desirable future state for human societies in which living conditions and resource-use continue to meet human needs without undermining the "integrity, stability and beauty" of natural biotic systems.

What is the Bio-economy?

At the beginning of the twenty-first century, there is some confusion around this term. It is taken in different contexts: Academic, and established commissions, Business Associations.

Academically speaking, the "bio-economy" is an economic theory developed by Nicholas Georgescu-Roegen in the early 1970s (Georgescu-Roegen, 1971). But, the author spoke ofenvironmental economics. The "bio-economy" for Georgescu Roegen highlights the biological basis or "Natural" of all economic processes and human problems associated with the depletion ofour natural resources. The "bio" would be the ancestor of a discipline in its own right is in full development: ecological economics ("Ecological economics") (Mayumi K, 2002).

The Institutional level, the European Commission and the OCDE refers to the "bio-economy" and defines it as "a set of economic activities related to innovation, development, production and use of products and biological processes" : « un ensemble d'activités économiques liées à l'innovation, au développement, à la production et à l'utilisation de produits et de procédés biologiques » (OCDE, 2009 ; European Bioeconomy ; Commission Européenne, 2012). Through this new strategy, the institutions can used research and innovation for realised one transition to our carbon-based fossil fuels economy to a green economy, low-carbon and sustainable.

Today, there is another definition of "bio". This is the definition of the club of "bio-economists" (The club bio-economists, 2012). This association was created in 2012 and still little known. Faced with growing population, the definition of the club of "bio-economists" means: i) increase our ability to create biomass as the "natural" foods; ii) a high yield, such as agriculture, forestry,aquaculture or forestry production, which occur in addition to "an additional job in 1000T biomass" (The club bio-economists, 2012).

This association includes the main objectives of the movement "ecological" and "cultures of renewable and sustainable" as: i) "educate and inform on the issues and the need for agricultureand forestry sustainable, productive and efficient to ensure diversity and competitiveness of their industries downstream processing meet growing global needs "; ii) They claim that "the land, the forest and the sun, subject to certain limitations and precautions, can indeed provide us with complete simplicity of the food, but also energy, materials and" molecules without carbon black ..."and organic fertilizers to feed the soil and plants". The Economic Association established a suitable operating one form of renewable energy. Until then nothing new! However, the club of "bio-economists" says that "we are not able to ensure the sustainability of our development" in the current conditions".

Members of this association offer a solution: "We would need to manage the forest and the earth as real" providers of future "productive and not, as some dream, imagining to make anyreservations bucolic!".

In addition, citizens of the world, some governments and civil society are fighting to preserve portions of land that have not been too bothered by humans. As, they are not easily accessible to humans. However, according to the club of "bio-economists" (Le club des bio-économistes, 2012), us should cultivate all surfaces of the world: i) include forests, savanna and steppe; ii)cease to strive to preserve biodiversity through the nature reserves what for them are useless and non-productive.

Indeed, our ecosystems, the flora and the fauna that are already constrained, troubled, stressed by human activity. Many ecosystems are in decline or deregulate. The important species of the lifecycle or vital are important meshes for the global balance and disappear every day for example as key species, such as bees and other pollinating insects.

From these facts, their interpretation of the definition of “bio-economy” is a serious error of judgment on the services provided by biodiversity and ecosystems “natural”. The solution proposed by the club of "bio-economists" in the form of the definition of "Bio-economy" would unfortunately irrevocable for the Nature at human scale. After to have created one unbalancedecosystems irreversibly, it would be impossible to restore and recreate stable ecosystems with the biodiversity associated with them and ecosystem functions. Out, they are vital to the survival ofall species including humans. In addition, to solve these already present, many research programs are underway including agro-ecology, functional ecology and eco-physiology.

At present, it should be noted that the economy and corporate profitability objectives and industry called "modern" still cannot be combined with Concepts, Principles and Objectivessupported by the prefix "bio".

Finally, the future of mankind isn’t in the industrial exploitation of living in the service of a productivist and consumerist civilization worthless, tasteless and uninteresting whose purpose is an effect of economic profit and a desert and biological sterilization of Nature. It is necessary to review the objectives of integrating the interests of civilization, society and architecture in the Nature and with the Nature in a sustainable and durable objective (Varin, 2014 In press).

my Bioeconomy

Presentation of different fields of NBIC and plasticity concept applications in the Bioeconomy (Figure. 1; Varin, 2014) and the Bio-market (Figure. 2 Engl - Fr ; Varin, 2014). This is my speciality and my skills to catalyse your business (Fields of expertise & My Profile (Port-folio)).

my Bio-market

Auteur : Varin Sébastien / Creation date: 2009-10-07/Update/Actualisation: 2020-04-01

Protection intellectuelle & droit auteur/Mention légale : N°2019-12-0014/N°2017-11-0140/N°2016-03-0066/N°2009

References

Bator FM. 1958. The Anatomy of Market Failure.

Rapport Brundtland. 1987.

Commission Européenne. 2012. Innover pour une Croissance Durable : une Bio-economie pour l'Europe (http://ec.europa.eu/research/bioeconomy/pdf/201202_innovating_sustainable_growth_fr.pdf).

Costanza R. et al. 1997, The value of the world's ecosystem services and natural capital. Nature, 387 (6630), p.253–260.

CRDD (Centre de ressources documentaires du développement durable). 2012. La bio-économie. Les dossiers du Ministere du Developpement Durable sur la bio-economie (http://www.developpement-durable.gouv.fr/IMG/pdf/DossierCRDD_bioeconomie.pdf).

European Bioeconomy (http://ec.europa.eu/research/bioeconomy/policy/index_en.htm).

Georgescu-Roegen N. 1971. The Entropy Law and the Economic Process. Cambridge, Mass.: Harvard University Press.

Hanley, N.J. Shogren et B. 2006. White, Environmental Economics in Theory and Practice, Palgrave Macmillan.

Le club des bio-économistes. 2012. Les "triples A" de la bio-économie: efficacité, sobriété et diversité de la croissance verte, ouvrage coordonné par Claude Roy, Editions L'Harmattan. Isbn : 978-2-296-99739-4.

Mayumi K. 2002, The Origins of Ecological Economics: The Bioeconomics of Georgescu-Roegen, Routledge

OCDE. 2009. La Bioeconomie à l'horizon 2030 : quel programme d'action ? (La Bioeconomie à l'horizon 2030 : quel programme d'action ?

Pigou AC. 1932. The Economics of Welfare.

Smith C. 1998. Economic Development, 2nd edition, Macmillan, Basingstoke - ISBN 0333722280.

United Nations, « Report of the World Commission on Environment and Development » [archive], General Assembly Resolution 42/187, 11 December 1987.

Wiseman. 1957. The theory of public utility price – an empty box.

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Référence électronique

Sébastien Varin, « The « Bio »-Economy », My WebSite Dr Sébastien Varin [En ligne], mis en ligne le 27 avril 2016, consulté le (date de consultation). URL : https://sites.google.com/site/drsebastienvarin/overview/current-research

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Auteur : Varin Sébastien / Creation date: 2009-10-07/Update/Actualisation: 2020-04-01

Protection intellectuelle & droit auteur/Mention légale : N°2019-12-0014/N°2017-11-0140/N°2016-03-0066/N°2009