New, emerging bio-based products can substantially reduce greenhouse gas emissions, notes Ag-press.eu.

A systematic analysis of the environmental compromises of 98 products, reported in 130 studies, found that bio-based products emitted 45% fewer greenhouse gases (GHGs) over their lifecycle compared to their fossil counterparts.

The study "Potential of Emerging Bio-based Products to Reduce Environmental Impact" contributes to the debate on the sustainability of bio-based products and the environmental benefits of replacing fossil resources with bioresources.

Despite 80 out of the 98 products having a lower GHG footprint than fossil alternatives, the study showed a wide variation among individual bio-based products, and none of them achieved net-zero emissions.

Additionally, there are indications that other environmental effects may arise as potential trade-offs, such as eutrophication. The latter is due to the use of fertilizers and can lead to oxygen deficiency in water, affecting biodiversity. This requires additional attention if bio-based products are used on a large scale.

The findings suggest that the ecological sustainability of bio-based products should be assessed individually, and further efforts are needed in product development to achieve climate-neutral objectives.

In the EU, the bioeconomy strategy has been designed to contribute to achieving a sustainable bio-based economy. It contributes to the European Green Deal and its goal of reaching a continent-wide net-zero by 2050. (Photo: Freepik)