The Role of Culture and Moral
Responsibility in Facilitating a Sustainable
Bioeconomy
2
Madhavi Venkatesan
Abstract
Economics influences and is influenced by culture; in turn, culture is both
influenced by and influences the sustainability of the environment. Furthermore,
to the extent that moral judgment encompasses human and non-human life, the
environment and its sustainability are given significance within the economic
system. At present, there is increasing discussion of the implementation of a
bioeconomy within the present economic framework. This chapter discusses the
role of culture and education in promoting a moral perspective of the human
responsibility in establishing sustainable economic growth. The argument made
is that a bioeconomy can promote sustainability only if consumption choices
implicitly consider holistic impacts and are motivated by cultural values that are
based in moral judgement. Otherwise, sustainable economic growth may be
limited to the production process alone and fail to promote overall sustainability
in economic outcomes.
Keywords
Sustainability · Economic Development · Bioeconomy · Culture · Consumption
2.1
Introduction
Bioeconomy has been defined as “the production, utilization and conservation of
biological resources, including related knowledge, science, technology, and
innovation, to provide information, products, processes and services across all
economic sectors aiming toward a sustainable economy” (Global Bioeconomy
M. Venkatesan (*)
Department of Economics, Northeastern University, Boston, MA, USA
e-mail: m.venkatesan@northeastern.edu
# Springer Nature Singapore Pte Ltd. 2021
V. Venkatramanan et al. (eds.), Sustainable Bioeconomy,
https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-15-7321-7_2
11
Responsibility in Facilitating a Sustainable
Bioeconomy
2
Madhavi Venkatesan
Abstract
Economics influences and is influenced by culture; in turn, culture is both
influenced by and influences the sustainability of the environment. Furthermore,
to the extent that moral judgment encompasses human and non-human life, the
environment and its sustainability are given significance within the economic
system. At present, there is increasing discussion of the implementation of a
bioeconomy within the present economic framework. This chapter discusses the
role of culture and education in promoting a moral perspective of the human
responsibility in establishing sustainable economic growth. The argument made
is that a bioeconomy can promote sustainability only if consumption choices
implicitly consider holistic impacts and are motivated by cultural values that are
based in moral judgement. Otherwise, sustainable economic growth may be
limited to the production process alone and fail to promote overall sustainability
in economic outcomes.
Keywords
Sustainability · Economic Development · Bioeconomy · Culture · Consumption
2.1
Introduction
Bioeconomy has been defined as “the production, utilization and conservation of
biological resources, including related knowledge, science, technology, and
innovation, to provide information, products, processes and services across all
economic sectors aiming toward a sustainable economy” (Global Bioeconomy
M. Venkatesan (*)
Department of Economics, Northeastern University, Boston, MA, USA
e-mail: m.venkatesan@northeastern.edu
# Springer Nature Singapore Pte Ltd. 2021
V. Venkatramanan et al. (eds.), Sustainable Bioeconomy,
https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-15-7321-7_2
11