Biotechnology, an industry that will make the difference after COP 27

Last week, the world's population passed the 8 billion mark, and we all know that this year Europe experienced its hottest summer since at least 1880. “We have been living in a fossil-fuel based extractive economy that is depleting the earth's natural resources and generating greenhouse gas emissions that are accelerating climate change and, by domino effect, affecting food production”, said Ion Arocena, CEO of AseBio, opening the bio breakfast organised by the association for journalists and members with the aim of discussing the main conclusions of COP27 and the Green Innovation Forum we held in Mérida last Thursday. 

Nearly 200 countries attended COP27, and the fact is that this summit left a “bittersweet taste” because, although progress was made on some issues, other crucial ones were left at a standstill… Indeed, the European Commission's communiqué summarising the conclusions of COP27 begins as follows: “COP27 is a small step towards climate justice, but much more is needed for the planet. We have treated some of the symptoms, but we have not cured the patient’s fever”. However, amidst the alarming warnings surrounding this year's summit, there is still optimism that ongoing efforts to alleviate the climate crisis will make a difference. The World Economic Forum has highlighted the keys to meeting the challenges, and one of them is biotechnology. 

Our industry enables primary production to be improved: more productive crops adapted to new climatic conditions; more sustainable food, new sources of protein and energy and an economy based on renewable raw materials and bio-based products. “Biotechnology is already present in our daily lives with concrete solutions”, insisted Arocena, supported by all the speakers at the conference, who explained all the solutions currently being developed or already available on the market.

The shopping basket

Our shopping basket is changing. Food prices were already rising before the war in Ukraine due to problems caused by COVID-19 in supply chains, de-globalisation trends and higher production costs. Fran García, Head of Communications at Tebrio, and Bosco Emparanza, CEO of MoaFoodtech, told us about the progress they are making towards a more sustainable and, above all, sufficient diet for the entire population, and they are confident that in the next two years we will see substantial changes in our daily diet. It is estimated that alternative proteins will account for 11% of the total by 2025. 

“The industry knows what the issues are. It is well aware of the problem, and we are all working on it. We are recovering the by-products of the pasta development process, for example [and among other things], to make all kinds of food products such as meat products, pesto for pasta, Bolognese sauce…”, said Emparanza. Garcia added to this, confirming that insects have an evident potential that goes far beyond human consumption (food, biofertilisers, etc.). “So far, insect consumption has been very limited and very local. We are turning it into an industry so that it can be introduced throughout the food chain”, concluded the expert.

The pressure on our soils

But the availability of food also depends on our soils, which today are under unprecedented pressure. Spain's utilised agricultural area (UAA) accounts for more than 23 million hectares, i.e., almost half of the land in Spain. We can also widen our lens and remind ourselves that 38% of the world's land is being exploited to feed us. “In five seconds, an area equivalent to a football pitch is eroded,” says Miguel Rodriguez-Villa, Vice President and Head of Global Agribusiness Strategy at Algaenergy. Microalgae have the potential to protect such soils and regenerate them, and can be used in the development of biofertilisers and biostimulants to improve crop quality and accelerate production. 

For Richard Borreani, Director of Public Affairs and Sustainability at Bayer, the keys to protecting our soils and moving towards a more sustainable agrifood sector are: science, innovation and technology. “We provide solutions for farmers to meet the challenge of feeding a growing population while not harming our planet,” he explains.

The cost of energy

In these troubled times, we are also experiencing an energy crisis that has sent bills soaring and, by domino effect, has put the spotlight on the urgent need for alternatives such as renewable energies or bioenergies. Paz Gómez, head of Bioenergy and Biorefineries at AINIA, and Pedro Palencia, director of Institutional Relations at Segidas (Spanish Gas Association) discussed the future of the energy system and the great potential of biomethane for consumers. 

Biomethane is one of these alternatives and can be used as a substitute for natural gas, according to the AINIA expert, after a suitable conditioning process. “The national regulations on the technical requirements for biomethane injection into the gas grid have already been drawn up,” he said. In the short term, between now and 2030, “the speed with which we decarbonise can also be faster, provided we are able to implement mature technologies, as well as take advantage of existing infrastructure, such as the gas grid,” he said.

Last year the demand for natural gas was 378 Twh, and therefore Palencia believes that prospectively, the maximum would be a 43% substitution of current consumption with a decarbonised alternative (such as biomethane), which would not require any changes in consumption devices, would allow locally produced, competitive energy to be generated at current natural gas prices and would improve the negotiating position and security of supply. “A year ago, we had only one biomethane plant, now we have four more. This says a lot about the outlook for the future,” Palencia concluded optimistically. 

Due to the potential biotechnology has, with an impact on 13 of the 17 Sustainable Development Goals, AseBio is the national coordinator of the European Climate Pact, which has more than 130 ambassadors throughout Spain working to raise awareness of the impact we have on our planet. This forum is a further step. It has reinforced our commitment to sustainability, and we have made it clear that our industry is the key tool that must accompany us in the green transition or, in other words, “towards sustainable and resilient growth”. 

Watch all the chat here.