The Basque Country presents its Forest Bioeconomy strategy at the FIBC International Conference in Vancouver, Canada

• The Basque delegation participated in the international event where governments, technology centers, and companies showcase innovative bio-based products.

Vancouver 2025 05 08

The Basque Country promotes the Circular Forest Bioeconomy as a basis for the production of new bio-based products that reduce dependence on fossil fuels. A Basque delegation, made up of the General Director of Neiker, Mrs Olatz Unamunzaga, Mr Gorka Altuna of Hazi Fundazioa, and Mr Oskar Azkarate, General Director of Baskegur, presented Basque policies for promoting R&D&I in the field of Forest Bioeconomy at the FIBC International Conference - Forest Innovation & Bioeconomy Conference in Vancouver, Canada, which concludes today. The delegation highlighted the main developments taking place in countries that share the important economic sector linked to sustainable forest management.

Olatz Unamunzaga conveyed to the FIBC plenary session the commitment of the Basque Country—the Basque Government, technology centers, and Baskegur, representing the forestry and wood sector value chain—to the development of the green economy, "aware of the need to take decisive steps toward decarbonization to meet the goals the government has set in its ecological transition plans."

In addition to the conferences and product exhibitions at the international conference venue, the program included working visits to technology centers and companies developing cutting-edge solutions in both wood construction and the commercialization of biomaterials. These included the Bioproducts Institute and its bioenergy demonstration facility, FP Innovations, BC Research, Svante, Carbon Engineering, Cloverdale Fuel, FraserWood, and BC Passive House.

Attendees exchanged views with experts in sustainable forest management, green chemistry, bioenergy, and biomaterials to address the sector's global challenges. The Basque Country is a leading region in his state for technology and companies dedicated to the engineering and construction of timber buildings and other civil works.

The Basque delegation showed particular interest in high-rise timber construction landmarks, such as the "Brock Commons" student residence at the University of British Columbia, which, at 53 meters tall, is the tallest timber building in the world. The conference was attended by more than 200 representatives from 82 international organizations from various sectors, including government agencies, startups, producers, research institutions, consulting firms, and investment firms.