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Drumming the Barrels of Hope? Bioeconomy Narratives in the Media

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  • Juha Peltomaa

    (Finnish Environment Institute, 00251 Helsinki, Finland)

Abstract

Bioeconomy as one mode of the transition towards a more sustainable mode of production and consumption has been addressed in several policy fields. Bioeconomy has raised hope not only in the quest for a more sustainable future, but also offers new possibilities, especially in countries with vast natural resources. By using the Narrative Policy Framework, I assess the kinds of bioeconomy narratives promoted by the media and the future they suggest, for the case of Finland. Flexible concepts such as bioeconomy can be harnessed to promote different, and even contrasting, objectives. Besides growth-oriented promises, bioeconomy seems to simultaneously raise controversial questions related to techno-social path dependencies and the sustainability of natural resource use. The narratives seem also to lack roles for certain actor groups, such as citizens, which might challenge the legitimacy and, thus, the future of bioeconomy. The role of civil society should also be better addressed by scholars in the field, as it plays an important role in the sustainability of bioeconomy.

Suggested Citation

  • Juha Peltomaa, 2018. "Drumming the Barrels of Hope? Bioeconomy Narratives in the Media," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 10(11), pages 1-14, November.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:10:y:2018:i:11:p:4278-:d:183869
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    2. Walther Zeug & Alberto Bezama & Urs Moesenfechtel & Anne Jähkel & Daniela Thrän, 2019. "Stakeholders’ Interests and Perceptions of Bioeconomy Monitoring Using a Sustainable Development Goal Framework," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(6), pages 1-24, March.
    3. Lisa Biber‐Freudenberger & Candan Ergeneman & Jan Janosch Förster & Thomas Dietz & Jan Börner, 2020. "Bioeconomy futures: Expectation patterns of scientists and practitioners on the sustainability of bio‐based transformation," Sustainable Development, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 28(5), pages 1220-1235, September.
    4. Erik Gawel & Nadine Pannicke & Nina Hagemann, 2019. "A Path Transition Towards a Bioeconomy—The Crucial Role of Sustainability," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(11), pages 1-23, May.
    5. Bastian Winkler & Anika Maier & Iris Lewandowski, 2019. "Urban Gardening in Germany: Cultivating a Sustainable Lifestyle for the Societal Transition to a Bioeconomy," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(3), pages 1-22, February.
    6. Pietarinen, Niina & Harrinkari, Teemu & Brockhaus, Maria & Yakusheva, Natalya, 2023. "Discourses in Finnish forest policy: Cherry-picking or sustainability?," Forest Policy and Economics, Elsevier, vol. 147(C).
    7. Emil Nagy & Carolina Berg Rustas & Cecilia Mark-Herbert, 2021. "Social Acceptance of Forest-Based Bioeconomy—Swedish Consumers’ Perspectives on a Low Carbon Transition," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(14), pages 1-16, July.
    8. Ranacher, Lea & Ludvig, Alice & Schwarzbauer, Peter, 2019. "Depicting the peril and not the potential of forests for a biobased economy? A qualitative content analysis on online news media coverage in German language articles," Forest Policy and Economics, Elsevier, vol. 106(C), pages 1-1.
    9. Zeug, Walther & Bezama, Alberto & Thrän, Daniela, 2020. "Towards a holistic and integrated Life Cycle Sustainability Assessment of the bioeconomy: Background on concepts, visions and measurements," UFZ Discussion Papers 7/2020, Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research (UFZ), Division of Social Sciences (ÖKUS).
    10. Sophia Dieken & Sandra Venghaus, 2020. "Potential Pathways to the German Bioeconomy: A Media Discourse Analysis of Public Perceptions," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(19), pages 1-24, September.

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