Biomass assessment of land and sea via engagement & deliberation (BALANSED)
BALANSED translates Green Deal–driven policy narratives into quantitative assessments enriched with stakeholder input from local and regional deliberation processes. Its aim is to better understand land and sea and biomass use dynamics and co-design sustainable pathways for the future bioeconomy.
BALANSED consortium consists of a multi-disciplinary team of 13 partners based in 9 different EU countries. Eight partners coordinate the implementation of deliberation processes in six local study in several EU regions in which different methodologies and tools are tested. Deliberation processes are also implemented with BALANSED results in two cross regional study regions (EU27 and EU Mediterranean region). Partners like WR, IIASA, OGS and WU have strong expertise in integrated modelling for quantitative assessments of land and sea and biomass use and trade-offs effects in relation to ecosystem services, biodiversity and socio-economic resilience. In parallel, GFZ together with regional partners like STEP, GIS, SFS, CEET, CoopsAgroES, URCACYL and CALCM have very strong expertise and experience in strengthening inclusive, participatory governance and decision making through implementation of deliberation methodologies and tools. The participation of JRC as a partner and the involvement of six advisory board members will further strengthen high quality knowledge and links to other projects in order to achieve the ambitious targets of the call.
By aligning land, sea, and biomass assessments, BALANSED helps policymakers identify synergies and conflicts between sectors, promoting integrated and coherent policies. Scenario analyses under different policy, climate, and socio-economic assumptions allow policymakers to anticipate trade-offs and plan resilient, adaptive strategies.
Ultimately, it provides a framework that aligns regional decisions with EU Green Deal and other overarching bioeconomy policies. By integrating scientific assessments with participatory deliberation, BALANSED empowers decision-makers and communities to co-design balanced, inclusive, and just bioeconomy pathways tailored to diverse ecological, economic, and societal contexts.