Lignocellulose-based bioeconomy: Actors and their networks

The political support of the bioeconomy will lead to shifts in traditional sector structures. Consequently positions of and relations between different actors in a sector will change, and consequently new conflicts will evolve. So far an overview of these actors, networks, coalitions and conflicts; “winners and losers”, and the related options and restrictions for implementing a bioeconomy policy has been lacking in research on the bioeconomy.

It is the aim of this project to shed light on the consequences of new relationships between actors in lignocellulose value chains on the implementation of the bioeconomy policy. As such, social and political aspects of this value chain are central in this project.

Two approaches that are highly acknowledged and relevant in political sciences will be combined to analyze relationships between actors in lignocellulose value chains. First, a structural approach will evaluate policy networks to identify and classify patterns of the relationships. Second, an advocacy-coalitions approach will allow us to integrate the dimension of ideas or ”belief systems“.

Empirically the project focuses on actors in the lignocellulose value chains within Baden-Württemberg by taking into account relations crossing borders. Quantitative and qualitative empirical methods of social sciences will be combined. Network analysis is a quantitative method to analyse different parameters of the network. In a second step, qualitative interviews with those actors identified as central will be conducted. The results will uncover corresponding and conflicting belief systems, and identify policy brokers. Complementary programs of these actors will also be analyzed.