Ministers McConalogue and Ryan welcome announcement that Ireland will host the 2026 Global Bioeconomy Summit

Minister for Agriculture, Food, and the Marine Charlie McConalogue T.D. and Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications Eamonn Ryan T.D. have welcomed the announcement that Ireland will host the 2026 Global Bioeconomy Summit (GBS2026).

The announcement was made earlier today at the conclusion of the 2024 Summit held in Nairobi, Kenya, following an application by Ireland to host the 2026 Summit.

Referring to the announcement, Minister McConalogue said

“This is a major international event which will see Ireland host delegates from around the world, bringing together those working across the bioeconomy. It is testament to the work that is going on in Ireland in this area of innovation. As we strive to replace fossil-based resources and processes with biological ones, exciting opportunities emerge, from biofertilisers and biopesticides, to new food sources, biobased plastics and textiles, and biological waste management, to name just a few. I was pleased to recently submit an application to host the 2026 Global Bioeconomy Summit with my colleague Minister Ryan. I am delighted to see that this application was successful, with the announcement earlier today in Nairobi, Kenya that Ireland has been selected to host this major international Summit in two years time”.

For his part, Minister Ryan stated

“A sustainable bioeconomy can help Ireland achieve its climate goals, waste targets, and a more circular economy, with a focus on ensuring a just transition, particularly for rural communities, by fostering more sustainable agricultural and food systems. Ireland’s bioeconomy is growing, with more people getting involved, as the recent successful sixth annual Bioeconomy Ireland Week has shown. The hosting of the GBS 2026 will coincide with the Irish Presidency of the Council of the European Union, providing a unique opportunity to showcase the bioeconomy on both the European and global stage.”

Speaking on behalf of the International Advisory Council on the Global Bioeconomy who organise the Global Bioeconomy Summit, Christine Lang said

“We very much welcome that Ireland is taking on the baton of GBS from East Africa which very successfully hosted the first GBS outside from Germany. We are looking forward to working together to again make GBS 2026 the key event on Global Bioeconomy”.

John Bell , Director for Healthy Planet, DG Research and Innovation, European Commission said

“I am delighted that Ireland will be hosting the Global Bioeconomy Summit 2026. This is a great opportunity to showcase progress made on Bioeconomy in Europe and further the discussions with our international partners on how the bioeconomy can support a transformation to sustainable economies and societies around the globe”.

Concluding, Minister McConalogue said

“Our interest in hosting the 2026 Global Bioeconomy Summit is based on a desire to advance and promote the potential for the bioeconomy to contribute to the sustainable development of our rural, coastal and urban areas. This builds on the publication by Government of the first ever National Bioeconomy Plan”. Minister Ryan said “I very much believe the bioeconomy can offer a new era of sustainable business models and value chains in areas such as new packaging, new chemicals and replacing fossil fuel products and government is putting in place the building blocks for this new industry. We are committed to ensuring that the Summit is forward-looking, inclusive, innovative and involves a multi-generational and broad variety of bioeconomy stakeholders”.

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