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Microbiome innovations for a sustainable future

Nature Microbiology volume 6, pages 138–142 (2021)Cite this article

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The United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) are being integrated into bioeconomy strategies around the world, including the European Green Deal. We highlight how microbiome-based innovations can contribute to policies that interface with the SDGs and argue that international cooperation in microbiome science is crucial for success.

In 2015, the United Nations General Assembly adopted 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) that aim to improve the lives of people around the world. A 15-year programme for global sustainable development was set out, with the SDGs forming the backbone of this plan. Many nations incorporated the SDGs into government policies by adopting national bioeconomy strategies to achieve the SDGs and setting targets to mitigate climate change.

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Fig. 1: Microbiome services.
Fig. 2: Microbiome connectivity and impact pathways using dairy as example.

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Acknowledgements

K.D., T.K., B.K.S., E.M., B.S. and A.S. have received funding from the European Union’s H2020 Research and Innovation Programme under grant no. 818116 (MicrobiomeSupport).

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Author notes

  1. These authors contributed equally: Kathleen D’Hondt, Tanja Kostic.

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Economy, Science and Innovation – Flemish Government, Brussels, Belgium

    Kathleen D’Hondt

  2. Bioresources Unit, Center for Health & Bioresources, AIT Austrian Institute of Technology GmbH, Tulln, Austria

    Tanja Kostic & Angela Sessitsch

  3. AgResearch, Lincoln Science Centre, Christchurch, New Zealand

    Richard McDowell

  4. Faculty of Agriculture and Life Sciences, Lincoln University, Christchurch, New Zealand

    Richard McDowell

  5. Lethbridge Research and Development Centre, Science and Technology Branch, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, Lethbridge, Alberta, Canada

    Francois Eudes

  6. Hawkesbury Institute for the Environment, Western Sydney University, Penrith, New South Wales, Australia

    Brajesh K. Singh

  7. Global Centre for Land-Based Innovation, Western Sydney University, Penrith, New South Wales, Australia

    Brajesh K. Singh

  8. International Engagement Division, Science and Technology Branch, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada

    Sara Sarkar

  9. Bioeconomy & Food Systems Unit, Healthy Planet Directorate, Directorate-General for Research and Innovation, European Commission, Brussels, Belgium

    Marios Markakis

  10. European Food Information Council, Brussels, Belgium

    Bettina Schelkle

  11. UMR1319 MICALIS, Université Paris Saclay, INRAE, AgroParisTech, Jouy-en-Josas, France

    Emmanuelle Maguin

Authors
  1. Kathleen D’Hondt
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  2. Tanja Kostic
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  3. Richard McDowell
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  4. Francois Eudes
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  5. Brajesh K. Singh
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  6. Sara Sarkar
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  7. Marios Markakis
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  8. Bettina Schelkle
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  9. Emmanuelle Maguin
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  10. Angela Sessitsch
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Contributions

A.S., K.D. and T.K. drafted the manuscript. All authors contributed to the revisions and final draft of the manuscript.

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Angela Sessitsch.

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The authors declare no competing interests.

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D’Hondt, K., Kostic, T., McDowell, R. et al. Microbiome innovations for a sustainable future. Nat Microbiol 6, 138–142 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41564-020-00857-w

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