Bioeconomy for the Amazon: concepts, limits, and trends for a proper definition of the tropical forest biome
Francisco de Assis Costa, Carlos A. Nobre, Carolina Genin, Caroline Medeiros Rocha Frasson, Danilo Araújo Fernandes, Harley Silva, Iara Vicente, Inaiê Takaes Santos, Rafael Feltran‐Barbieri, Raul da Silva Ventura Neto, Ricardo Folhes
Abstract
The term bioeconomy has emerged in the last years as an important element for the transition to low carbon economies. However, as a relatively new term, it still encompasses a myriad of meanings, not all of them adequate for the Amazon biome or for biodiversity conservation.This document combines literature review from different areas of social sciences as to forge a concept proposal specific for the Amazonian biome. Here, it is argued that the concept should be process-focused and able to sustain the social-biodiversity of the region, favouring the strengthening of economic trajectories that are linked with the standing forest and flowing rivers, aided by traditional communities’ ties with their surroundings. To that effect, by providing a space for development of certain economic practices, amazon cities can play a key role in developing better relationships between society and nature.