German citizens’ perception of the transition towards a sustainable bioeconomy: A glimpse into the Rheinische Revier

• Published in: Sustainable production and consumption 2022-05, Vol.31, p.175-189
• Main Authors: Macht, Janine, Klink-Lehmann, Jeanette Leila, Simons, Johannes
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Bioeconomy; Citizen perception; Focus groups; Rheinische Revier; Transition
• ISSN: 2352-5509; 2352-5509
• DOI: 10.1016/j.spc.2022.02.010

The German government is promoting the transition into a sustainable bioeconomy. While the discussions in politics and industry mainly focus on developing bio-based innovations, the role of citizens in this transition has received little attention. However, it is crucial to the transition process. The study explores how citizens perceive the transition process toward a bioeconomy and which factors influence their perceptions in the specific context of the phasing out of lignite mining in the Rheinische Revier. The Rheinische Revier serves as a pilot region for a bioeconomy transition. We used projective techniques to conduct eight focus groups of six participants each. Using qualitative content analysis, we found that the bioeconomy concept triggers different contrasting reactions and trade-offs. The findings show that the perception of a bioeconomy transition depends on the specific technologies that will be implemented and on the way that these technologies are communicated to the general public. Implications are that successful information campaigns should not only highlight benefits but should also discuss the challenges and possible conflicts before they can be trusted by the citizens.