Peatlands-based demonstration of bioeconomy innovations at scale to help achieve many of the United Nation’s Sustainable Development Goals

Abstract

Development of wet peatland innovation (Paludiculture) offers significant potential for the alternative and sustainable use of land for addressing new viable commercial green opportunities. However, the lack of appropriate demonstration facilities has limited the development of Paludiculture. There is a substantial knowledge gap surrounding the design, tangible use and scaling of novel bioeconomy demonstration sites to meet emerging paludiculture innovation and for tailoring strategic policies to unlock regulatory shortcomings. This review addresses the important development of a novel integrated multitrophic aquaculture (IMTA) site for demonstrating paludiculture innovation at scale in rewetted peatlands. It addresses novel enablers, drivers and shortcomings for advancing emerging bioeconomy needs using a Penta-helix multiactor framework that meets effective resource management, biomass recycling, pollution control, sustainable production, risk management and predictability. Findings revealed that duckweed growth from this IMTA site (ca. area of 12,800 m²) can remediate 0.78 T yr ⁻¹ of total nitrogen and 0.38 T yr ⁻¹ of total phosphorous from fish waste stream yielding ca. 500 T per yr ⁻¹ duckweed biomass of high protein content (21.84 ± 2.45%). Next generation sequencing and bioinformatic analysis of Illumina and MinION data from the channels revealed a total of 982 species from 341 genera across nine phyla of microalgae that offer future potential to be biorefined on site for new high value products. Additionally, identification of specific microalgae and/or bacterial species can be used as early warning bioindicators of unwanted flux in the defined IMTA ecosystem, such as the impact of extreme weather events on aquaculture. Implications of findings support a strong alignment with zero-waste and zero-pollution principles and will contribute to achieving many of the United Nation’s Sustainable Development Goals. This integrated approach provides a novel IMTA blueprint for replicating paludiculture innovation in other demonstration locations globally that will be informed by future tailored life cycle assessment along with end-user evaluation and monitoring needs that addresses circularity, environmental and social impacts.