Biobased technologies such as the conversion of food waste into fuel, could reduce the world’s reliance on fossil fuels, lowering greenhouse gas emissions and helping countries combat climate change, according a new report from the United Nations.
According to the Climate Technology Progress Report 2025: Advancing Biobased Technologies in the Bioeconomy (CTPR 2025), technological innovation is making a suite of biobased technologies more practical to deploy.
Biobased technologies refer to innovations that use renewable biological resources including agricultural residues, food waste and algae, to generate products, services, and energy. The global bioeconomy – which includes all biobased technologies – is valued at US$4–5 trillion. The sector is projected to reach up to US$30 trillion by 2050. The report showcases the potential of bioeconomy to accelerate the transition to a low-carbon and sustainable future.
“Biobased technologies are an important part of the climate solutions portfolio,” said Anne Olhoff, Acting Director of the United Nations Environment Programme’s Copenhagen Climate Centre (UNEP-CCC). “If used carefully, they can support decarbonization and create opportunities for sustainable growth and rural development.”
Technologies that convert biomass (agricultural residues, wood, food waste, and animal manure) into energy, fuels and advanced materials are gaining traction across multiple sectors. Proven technologies like anaerobic digestion – a biological process in which microorganisms break down organic matter resulting in biogas and fertilizers – are already delivering measurable environmental benefits.
Biomass conversion technologies are particularly relevant and important for developing countries, where many people still use wood and charcoal for cooking and heating on a daily basis,” said Joni Jupesta, a lead author of the CTPR 2025 and Senior Research Fellow, Center for Transdisciplinary and Sustainability Science (CTSS),
“Bioenergy and biomass strategies should be pursued as part of an inclusive, just, and low-emission transition aligned with the Paris Agreement and the Sustainable Development Goals, especially in support of indigenous peoples and marginalised communities,” said Deborah Ley, CTPR 2025 lead author and Coordinator of Guatemala’s National Climate Change Plan and NDC 3.0 .
Meanwhile emerging technologies like biobased liquid fuels, produced from things like wood chips, crop residues and algae, need more investment and infrastructure to scale. A growing number of countries are developing policies to leverage these solutions in a range of fields, from construction to energy generation.
Bioenergy remains a central component of the bioeconomy. Waste-based biogas offers major climate and socio-economic co-benefits, while advanced biofuels — including fuels that come from algae — show long-term promise but remain costly and under development.
The report also noted the potential of a technology known as bioenergy with carbon capture and storage (BECCS). BECCS involves capturing the carbon that comes from burning biomass and permanently storing it underground, a process that removes greenhouse gas emissions.
BECCS and similar technologies are important for countering the climate crisis, the CTPR 2025 found. Yet deployment remains far below what is needed to meet Paris Agreement targets. Scaling up these solutions will require more financing and the integration of biobased technologies into climate strategies to ensure they remain consistent with broader biodiversity, development and sustainability goals.
Nature-based carbon removal approaches are also gaining attention. They include afforestation, the process of planting trees, agroforestry, the practice of mixing trees with farmland, and soil carbon enhancement, which includes adding compost to soil.
These innovations, the report said, bolster biodiversity while also improving livelihoods and food security. The report emphasizes that integrating these into national climate strategies is vital for lasting impact.
In materials and construction, innovations such as hempcrete, a sustainable building material made from the woody core of the hemp plant, and biochar-infused concrete – a carbon-rich substance produced from biomass – are showing strong potential for carbon storage. Scaling these materials, the report notes, will require circular design principles, effective recovery systems and alignment with regenerative land-use practices.
The report also calls for the scaling up of innovative financing mechanisms, including venture capital and green finance. Persistent barriers include high upfront costs and market uncertainty, especially in developing regions. Strengthening blended finance, linking climate funds to small enterprises, and ensuring regulatory clarity are identified as critical steps. `
“The bioeconomy cuts across all three Rio Conventions, if implemented effectively, it can make a meaningful contribution to the goals of each. This is something you don’t find in all energy transitions sectors,” said Francis X. Johnson, CTPR 2025 and Senior Research Fellow at Stockholm Environment Institute.
The CTPR 2025 underscores the importance of inclusive governance, policy coherence, and alignment with national socio-economic priorities. Phasing out fossil fuel subsidies, supporting just transitions, and ensuring that Indigenous Peoples benefit from the bioeconomy are emphasized as key to equitable outcomes.
The CTPR 2025 was produced by the UNEP Copenhagen Climate Centre, in collaboration with the UN Climate Technology Centre and Network and the UN Framework on Convention on Climate Change Technology Executive Committee. The report serves as a roadmap for policymakers seeking to accelerate adoption of bio-based technologies in an effort to counter climate change.