Reflections and new directions: An editorial retrospective and the launch of our new Policy Paper section

Over the past two years, Bio-based and Applied Economics (BAE) has consolidated its role as a platform for rigorous and innovative research at the intersection of economics, sustainability, agriculture, and bio-based systems. In a period marked by significant global transitions, ranging from climate change and biodiversity loss to disruptive technological shifts and geopolitical instabilities, our community of scholars has provided crucial insights into how bio-based economies can adapt, evolve, and contribute to sustainable development.As a result of this commitment, we also received two important recognitions of the quality of the works published by the journal: BAE is now ranked Q1 in several subject categories and has been included in the list of “class A” journals for economics and political economy scientific sectors in Italy.This editorial aims to offer both a retrospective overview of the journal’s main contributions over the last two years and a prospective look at new directions.