The future of governance in the global bioeconomy: policy, regulation, and investment challenges for the biotechnology and bioenergy sectors

Abstract

Today more than ever, the global bioeconomy is the subject of focused attention from public policymakers, corporate decision makers, researchers in the social and biophysical sciences, and the general public. With both short- and long-term shifts in the world's demand and supply of agricultural and industrial production, there is growing concern over the economics of improving productive efficiency through science conducted at the genetic and molecular levels. Parallel to this, there is growing concern about global climate change, and the demand for environmental services from agriculture continues to increase. Food, fiber, feed, and fuel are all key elements of this global bioeconomy, and all are treated in this issue of AgBioForum.