Promoting urban sustainability transitions while revitalising regions: a blueprint for accelerating Leipzig’s urban bioeconomy and sustainable urban-rural development

Abstract Depending on local strengths and priorities, the urban bioeconomy offers various solutions for different cities to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, develop recyclable raw material sources, conserve natural resources, close material and energy cycles and preserve biodiversity. This study explored how Leipzig’s current policy mix can evolve in order to initiate and implement the transition to a sustainable urban bioeconomy. Through expert interviews, we uncovered potential future fields and necessary measures for Leipzig. The analysis indicates that establishing the bioeconomy cannot be confined to urban areas. The bioeconomy vision for Leipzig encompasses the creation of an urban-rural system that facilitates the formation of regional value-added networks through the utilisation of biological resources, biobased processes and products. Our findings offer interested policy makers actionable recommendations for practical implementation. By identifying which policy areas, actors and levels of governance should be involved in the transition process and which challenges, success and risk factors currently exist for the transformation, we set the stage for co-creating a transition agenda for an urban-rural bioeconomy system.