As part of EU Green Week, Climate KIC is organising a workshop exploring how regions can accelerate the transition towards a nature-positive economy through innovation, place-based finance and systemic approaches to transformation.

The event will bring together policymakers, regional authorities, practitioners, investors, innovators and ecosystem actors to discuss how bioeconomy development can contribute to European competitiveness while supporting ecological regeneration, regional resilience and sustainable growth.

For regions and their research and innovation ecosystems, the workshop offers a valuable opportunity to exchange experiences on how place-based approaches can unlock new bioeconomy opportunities and support the scaling of nature-positive solutions. The discussion will focus on three interconnected dimensions:

• Bioeconomy as a regional transformation opportunity, exploring how bio-based value chains can be developed at landscape and regional level while creating economic, environmental and social benefits;
• Place-Based Finance Labs, showcasing innovative financing models co-designed with local governments, communities and investors to channel investment towards nature-positive projects;
• Innovation in its broadest sense, highlighting successful examples of technological, social, business model and policy innovation that are already generating positive impacts for nature, communities and local economies.

The programme will feature practical examples from Climate KIC's work on systems transformation, including experiences from the Irish Deep Demonstration on food systems transformation, implemented in partnership with the Irish Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine. Speakers will also share lessons from regional bioeconomy ecosystems, circular economy initiatives, innovative finance mechanisms and multi-stakeholder collaborations supporting sustainable land-use transitions.

Participants will have the opportunity to engage in facilitated discussions and explore the governance, investment and policy conditions needed to replicate and scale nature-positive innovation across European regions.

Learn more and register here. Registration closes on Thursday 11 June at 18:00 (CEST).