In a bid to position India as a global leader in the field of Bioeconomy, a national conference titled ‘Unleashing the Power of Bioeconomy’ was recently organized jointly by the National Chemical Laboratory (NCL) and Praj Industries in the city. The event, graced by eminent speakers and thought leaders, including Jim Lane, Founder of the US-based Biofuel Digest, shed light on the social, environmental, and energy aspects of Bioeconomy.
The conference welcomed distinguished personalities such as Dr. Ashish Lele, Director of NCL; Dr. Pramod Chaudhari, Founder Chairman of Praj Industries; Royal Society Fellow and Senior Scientist Dr. Raghunath Mashelkar; Dr. Suresh Gosavi, Vice-Chancellor of Savitribai Phule Pune University; Mohan Vani of the National Center for Cell Science (NCCS); Ajit Kembhavi of Pune Knowledge Cluster; Prof. Sunil Bhagwat of IISER, Pune; and Dr. Ravindra Utgikar of Praj Industries.
During his keynote address on ‘Bioeconomy Global Perspective,’ Jim Lane emphasized India’s unique opportunity to lead the global BioEconomy with the recent launch of the Global Biofuel Alliance (GBA). He highlighted India’s potential as a powerhouse of Bioenergy, citing the country’s abundant sunlight, land, and agricultural resources. Lane also stressed the need for a circular economy approach to biofuels and biochemicals to combat greenhouse gas emissions.
Addressing the urgency of the climate crisis, Dr. Mashelkar highlighted the importance of aligning policy and technology to accelerate Bioeconomy growth. Dr. Pramod Chaudhari urged a holistic and inclusive approach, suggesting the judicious use of GM crops and lauding the Global Biofuel Alliance as a watershed moment, particularly for the global south.
Dr. Ashish Lele addressed environmental concerns, advocating for the utilization of biomass for biofuels and renewable chemicals instead of traditional practices like stubble burning. He commended Pune for its robust research and development facilities in Bioeconomy, emphasizing the city’s potential as an innovation hub for biotechnology.
A panel discussion on the ‘Importance of bio manufacturing in building a bio-economy’ delved into the practical aspects of Bioeconomy. Dr. Asha Kembhavi and Dr. Prashant Dhakefalkar shared insights, with Dr. Anand Ghosalkar moderating the discussion.
The conference concluded with a shared vision of India leveraging the Global Biofuels Alliance to propel itself to the forefront of Bioeconomy, contributing significantly to sustainable development and environmental conservation.
