Dear Colleagues,

Increasing global efforts to accelerate the growth and adoption of the bio-based economy have led to a focus on renewable bio-based energy sources and bio-based products. Private institutions including multinational retailers and brands have leveraged their purchasing power to expand the production and utilization of bio-based feedstocks in consumer products. Similarly, national governments have developed policies promoting the bio-based economy as part of national sustainability programs and to stimulate economies primarily in rural agriculture-based regions in both developed and emerging markets. Scientists in private sector companies are also exploring new forms of bio-based alternatives to standard petroleum-based products.

This Special Issue aims to expand our understanding of the different institutional drivers stimulating the growth of the bio-based economy and their effectiveness. Additionally, papers building on conceptual, empirical, and modelling approaches that explore emerging uses and issues of bio-based energy, biochemical and bio-based product feedstocks, and the resultant environmental and socio-economic trade-offs are encouraged. The selected papers are expected to contribute to the evolving literature and support public and private decision makers.

Prof. Dr. Jay S. Golden
Dr. Robert Handfield
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Sustainability is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2400 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

• Bioeconomy
• Bioproducts
• Biogas
• Bioenergy
• Biochemicals
• Industrial Ecology
• Green Supply Chains
• Corporate Sustainability
• Life Cycle Assessment
• Sustainable Agriculture
• Greenhouse Gas
• Green Logistics