• Alongside BaskEgur and HAZI Foundation, NEIKER have participated in the international event in which administrations, technology centres and companies exhibit innovative bio-based products.

The Basque Country promotes the circular forest bioeconomy as a basis for the manufacture of new bio-based products that reduce dependence on fossil derivatives.

This week, a Basque delegation formed by the general director of NEIKER, Olatz Unamunzaga, Gorka Altuna from Hazi Fundazioa and Oskar Azkarate, general director of Baskegur, has presented at the FIBC-Forest Innovation & Bioeconomy Conference in Vancouver (Canada) the Basque policies for the promotion of R&D&I in the field of the forest bioeconomy, contrasting the main developments carried out in countries that share the important economic sector linked to the sustainable management of forests.

Olatz Unamunzaga has conveyed to the FIBC plenary the commitment of the Basque Country – Basque Government, Provincial Councils, technology centres and Baskegur representing the value chain of the forestry and wood sector – to the development of the green economy, ‘aware of the need to take decisive steps in favour of decarbonisation to meet the objectives that the executive has set in its ecological transition plans’.

In addition to the conferences and product exhibition at the international conference venue, the programme included working visits to technology centres and companies developing cutting-edge solutions in both timber construction and the commercialisation of biomaterials. These included Bioproducts Institute and its bioenergy demonstration facility, FP Innovations, BC Research, Svante, Carbon Engineering, Cloverdale Fuel, FraserWood and BC Passive House.

The attendees exchanged views with experts in sustainable forest management, green chemistry, bioenergy and biomaterials to address the global challenges of the sector. The Basque Country is a benchmark region in Spain in terms of technology and companies dedicated to the engineering and construction of wooden buildings and other civil works.

The conference was attended by more than 200 representatives from 82 international organisations from various sectors, including government agencies, startups, producers, research institutions, consultancies and investment firms.