Scaling the circular bioeconomy can support sustainable development by creating value from sustainably sourced biological resources, fostering innovation and livelihoods, and reducing reliance on finite and carbon-intensive resources. However, bio-based production is not inherently sustainable and can drive land-use change, ecosystem degradation, resource competition and unequal outcomes. This session explores how circular economy principles, context-specific approaches, effective safeguards, and robust data, monitoring and evaluation are necessary to shape bioeconomy strategies that are resource-efficient, nature-positive, socially just and grounded in local knowledge and livelihoods.