Dear Colleagues,

Nowadays, in the current highly competitive international scenario, an innovative political and economic model based on the sustainable use of renewable resources in agriculture and industry, and that takes into account biodiversity and environmental protection, is very significant. To this purpose, some key factors are needed: the identification of renewable feedstock not in competition with other production supply chains, the development of new technologies and processes, the creation of new markets and competitiveness, the pushing of policymakers and stakeholders to work more closely together. Moreover, enabling the widespread replacement of non-renewable resources by renewables requires research and the commercialization of green and blue technologies. So, resource efficiency should be achieved through a cascading use of resources, the valorization of residuals, and the adoption of circular economy principles: the transformation towards a circular bioeconomy, and the application of green and blue technologies, is part of the solution to several of the sustainability challenges facing society today, including climate change, ecosystem degradation, resource depletion, biodiversity loss, food insecurity, and so on. Thus, by expanding the market for sustainable agri-food products, transforming the industrial sector, fostering biotechnological innovation and supporting rural development, the agri-food system enhances economic growth and creates new jobs across all sectors of society. The main scope of this special issue, therefore, is to contribute with innovative studies and researches on the above topics.