Bioprocesses and biotechnologies for reducing the impacts of climate change and socio-environmental disputes

Abstract

The environment is a constant nucleus of conflicting interests. The environmental conservation, in general, tends to conflict with economic and, often, political interests, generating socio-environmental disputes. Climate change is related to the precariousness of accountability and the insistence on dependence on fossil resources. With the advancement of science and technology, bioprocesses and biotechnologies can act as important mechanisms for ensuring sustainability, avoiding socio-environmental disputes and also helping mitigate climate emergencies. Thus, technologies such as bioenergy, biofuels, bioremediation, and carbon sequestration are important strategies that can help reverse the global scenario of widespread environmental degradation and the potential social collapse. Hence, this study discusses how bioprocesses and biotechnologies can act to avoid socio-environmental disputes and help mitigate climate emergencies. The study is a literature review that carried out using the hypothetical-deductive, bibliographic method, which studies variables and operational concepts regarding climate change, as well as socio-environmental disputes (with examples involving multinationals), bioprocesses, biotechnologies, responsibility, social relations, sustainability, globalization, fossil resources, the Earth's biophysical limits, among other expressions. As result and conclusion, if investments were channeled into bioprocesses and biotechnologies and not into fossil resources, the dynamics between the environmental, social, and economic dimensions of sustainability would be better balanced, avoiding socio-environmental disputes. However, political and economic willingness is needed, as well as alignment between governments, society, and companies.