Abstract
Computing power has increased dramatically in the last 30 years leading to new technologies and possibilities. This could be better described as an evolution rather than revolution. However, two factors are creating global revolutions. They are environment and sustainability and biotechnology. This chapter explores the link between the two and the potential of industrial biotechnology to contribute to addressing global challenges in a systemic way; looking at the global megatrends and challenges, sustainable development goals, planetary boundaries, GDP, economic and qualitative growth, circular economy, distributed manufacturing, health and nutrition, new related technologies, leveraging other emerging technologies, and ITC. It looks not just at direct impact but indirect secondary and tertiary effects. It hints at the potential of combining biotechnology with the increased computing power and move to the digital world. Finally, it highlights that there are potential disadvantages and risks in addition to the benefits and that these need to be mitigated.
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Notes
- 1.
Some have referred to Industry 4.0 too, and the World Economic Forum has adopted this term for its work around digitization.
- 2.
Spearheaded by the United Nations through a deliberative process involving its 193 Member States, as well as global civil society, the goals are contained in paragraph 54 United Nations Resolution A/RES/70/1 of 25 September 2015. (1) The Resolution is a broader intergovernmental agreement that acts as the Post 2015 Development Agenda (successor to the Millennium Development Goals). The SDGs build on the Principles agreed upon under Resolution A/RES/66/288, popularly known as The Future We Want. (2) It is a nonbinding document released as a result of Rio + 20 Conference held in 2012 in Rio de Janeiro, in Brazil.
- 3.
IMF data.
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Hagan, A. (2017). Global Consequences of Bioproduction of Fuels and Chemicals: An Introduction. In: Lee, S. (eds) Consequences of Microbial Interactions with Hydrocarbons, Oils, and Lipids: Production of Fuels and Chemicals. Handbook of Hydrocarbon and Lipid Microbiology . Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-50436-0_378
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