Beyond the Economic Growth: From the Sustainability’s Rhetoric to the Bioeconomics’ Effectiveness

At the time this book is published, our world is characterized by a deep ecological and social crisis as a result of the vital matrices’ destruction and the anthropogenic alteration of biogeochemical cycles with impacts on the environment and health, as well as socio-economic and geopolitical effects at various levels of spatial scale. This situation worsens inequalities and undermines human rights, including vital human rights such as access to drinking water. In order to address these problems, the idea of sustainable economic growth and the combination of environmental sustainability and digitalization (where the latter is indicated as a means to get to the first one) has been imposed at a global level. This vision is supported (also financially) by institutions, governments and corporations. However, the decoupling of economic growth, resource depletion and environmental impact, as well as 100% circularity, is objectively impossible, as demonstrated by Georgescu-Roegen analysis and as today, in the light of scientific evidence, also recognized by the European Environment Agency (EEA). The territories, subject to epochal changes, on the one hand suffer the effects, on the other hand are called to make significant choices at several levels. This chapter provides reflections on the sustainability concept associated with economic growth and digitalization. It then focuses on the bioeconomics theorized by Georgescu-Roegen, which considers the natural laws and environmental effects of the production process. This is observed from a geographical perspective, and the author proposes the scientifically based ecosystem approach (COP 5) as an operative and adequate tool to support bioeconomics. This is paired with a territory-based model that can be used to enact change.