Microorganisms harbor keys to a circular bioeconomy making them useful tools in fighting plastic pollution and rising CO2 levels

The major global and man-made challenges of our time are the fossil fuel-driven climate change a global plastic pollution and rapidly emerging plant, human and animal infections. To meet the necessary global changes, a dramatic transformation must take place in science and society. This transformation will involve very intense and forward oriented industrial and basic research strongly focusing on (bio)technology and industrial bioprocesses developments towards engineering a zero-carbon sustainable bioeconomy. Within this transition microorganisms-and especially extremophiles-will play a significant and global role as technology drivers. They harbor the keys and blueprints to a sustainable biotechnology in their genomes. Within this article, we outline urgent and important areas of microbial research and technology advancements and that will ultimately make major contributions during the transition from a linear towards a circular bioeconomy.

Automated summary

This article addresses the major global challenges of fossil fuel-driven climate change, global plastic pollution, and emerging plant, human, and animal infections. It emphasizes the need for a dramatic transformation in both science and society to meet these challenges and advocates for intense research and development in (bio)technology and industrial bioprocesses for a zero-carbon sustainable bioeconomy. The article highlights the significant role of microorganisms, especially extremophiles, as technology drivers in this transition, and outlines urgent areas of microbial research and technology advancements for a circular bioeconomy.