RWTH Aachen Professor Barben Appointed to Bioeconomics Council
University Professor Dr. Daniel Barben was appointed as a new member of the Federal Bioeconomics Council. The political and social scientist holds the professorship for future studies at RWTH Aachen, funded by the VDI, and is also head of the Chair of Future Studies.
The Bioeconomics Council held a constitutive session on September 20, 2012, with its new membership. Together with 17 other valuable experts from various fields of academia and the economy, Professor Barben will give recommendations to the seven involved ministries about important points and decisions along the way to biobased economics at the national and international level. The council was established in 2009 by the Federal Ministry of Education and Research and the Federal Ministry of Food, Agriculture, and Consumer Protection. The council, now in its second term till 2016, will advise the federal government during the implementation of the "National Bioeconomics Research Strategy 2030" among other issues.
During this second term of office, social-economic aspects of the sustainable use of natural resources such as plants, animals, and microorganisms will be more strongly highlighted. By promoting bioeconomics, the federal government wishes to assume responsibility for world food, raw materials and energy supply from biomass, and climate and environmental protection. Between 2010 and 2016, 2.4 billion Euros will be provided for research to implement a knowledge-based bioeconomics within the framework of the "National Bioeconomics Research Strategy 2030, based on the suggestions of the first Bioeconomics Council. The goal is to enable a change in structure through research and innovation from a crude oil to biobased industry, that is linked to great opportunities for growth and employment. The Bioeconomics Council will illustrate perspectives on how Germany can assume a leading roll in future bioeconomics.
The 51 year old Aachen researcher focuses on science, technology and innovation research. Comparative perspectives on global challenges regarding health, nutrition, energy, and climate change play a particular role in Barben's research.