The UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) form a global blueprint for peace, prosperity, and sustainable development. CBE JU-funded projects contribute mainly to three SDGs:
- SDG 9: Build resilient infrastructure, promote inclusive and sustainable industrialisation and foster innovation. 81% of all projects contribute to this goal.
The RUNFASTER4EU flagship project transforms underutilised and marginal lands into productive sources of feedstock for bio-based industries. It is contributing to soil regeneration and fostering innovation, circularity and sustainable industrialisation in Europe. The project advances innovative, modular and scalable biorefinery concepts, integrating novel conversion pathways and process intensification to improve industrial readiness. Through a cascading approach, it converts vegetable oils and residual biomass into high-value bio-based products, such as bio-building blocks and intermediates, cosmetic formulations, biostimulants, feed ingredients and herbicides, among others.
- SDG 12: Ensure sustainable consumption and production patterns. 86% of all projects contribute to this goal.
The WOODCELL flagship project valorises low-quality and residual hardwood biomass using an efficient, low-waste biorefinery process to produce microcrystalline cellulose for applications in packaging, coatings, paints and energy storage materials. By enabling high resource efficiency, reducing energy consumption, and supporting recyclable and circular material solutions, WOODCELL advances sustainable bio-based value chains. It also helps reducing dependence on fossil-based chemicals and promoting more sustainable industrial production practices.
- SDG 13: Take urgent action to combat climate change and its impacts. 80% of all projects contribute to this goal.
The ECOFUNC demonstration project pioneers the use of carbon-negative polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHAs), produced by microorganisms using CO₂ as feedstock, to create recyclable and biodegradable materials for construction, automotive and furniture applications. The project estimates the prevention of 20 million tonnes of CO₂ per year within ten years post-project, strongly supporting the decarbonisation of the building and construction sector, one of the world’s most carbon-intensive industrial sectors while accelerating Europe’s transition towards a climate-neutral economy.