Community Issues and the Bioeconomy Transition:Moving Independence from Imported Oil and ClimateChange Up the Local Policy Agenda

My assignment today is to comment on Community Issues that are likely to emerge during thetransition to a bioeconomy. There are many issues and some myths that are drivers of change inthis transition. World hunger, biotechnology, food versus fuel, and indirect land use; organic,natural, local foods, obesity, nutrition, and food safety; housing, healthcare, credit institutions, andeconomic recovery; and others are among the issues being discussed. This working paperfocuses on two of the key drivers that underlie much of the discussion at this conference and theyare not likely to disappear from the agenda anytime soon. A framework for local policy decisionsis developed for each issue using the alternatives and consequences approach.[...]