This report summarises the essential results from reports on the biodiversity/circular economy nexus prepared by members of the ECESP's Leadership Group on Biodiversity and Climate.
Its main premise is that biodiversity loss is not only an essential problem for our societies and human well-being but also a key business risk. The report argues that while the circular economy is a key tool for advancing towards our environmental targets, its implementation must be centred around biodiversity and climate considerations.
Reducing the demand for primary resources and preventing waste and pollution at product design stage are crucial, as are policies and measures to promote biodiversity protection and restoration.
To mark its 30th anniversary, the Association of Cities and Regions for sustainable Resource management (ACR+) is delighted to announce that it is launching a photo contest on "Capturing Circularities in Cities and Regions".
The circular economy is a powerful tool which cities and towns can use to tackle climate change, reduce CO2 emissions and regenerate nature. Join this online WCEF accelerator session on 17 April to learn how European cities are harnessing circular practices to achieve climate goals and nature restoration in urban settings.
Ms Blees is a lawyer in Germany and holds a Master of Law degree from George Mason University (USA). Before joining EuRIC, she worked at a Brussels-based consultancy, advising multinational companies on environmental, health and safety matters.
EuRIC is a confederation which represents the interests of European recycling industries within the EU. It spans the majority of waste streams, and so can facilitate cooperation between national recycling and resource management federations and companies from over 23 European countries, operating both locally and globally.
EuRIC represents:
5 500+ companies generating an aggregated annual turnover of about €95 billion, including large companies and SMEs involved in the recycling of and trade in various resource streams
300 000 local jobs which cannot be outsourced to non-EU countries
a million tons of waste recycled each year (metals, paper, glass, plastics, WEEE, ELVs, tyres, textiles, construction & demolition, etc.).
By turning waste into resources, recycling loops recycled materials back into value chains. Recyclers play a key role in bridging resource efficiency, climate change policy and the industrial transition.
For the EU’s Green Deal to be effective, it is critical to target the root cause of the triple environmental crises of climate change, pollution and biodiversity loss: excessive extraction, production, manufacturing and consumption of material resources.
This excess is not evenly distributed in the world: as highlighted in the report, the EU consumes more than its fair share – levels that are almost double the estimated sustainable consumption levels.
Addressing material resource consumption by establishing an EU Material Resources Law will be critical to meet the fourfold objectives set out in the Circular Economy Action Plan (CEAP) and stay within planetary boundaries. The EU will not achieve its climate change targets without making progress on resource consumption.
This webinar on 24 January will introduce key organisations and resources at the regional and national levels, as well as host a first discussion amongst participants on experiences, interests, and challenges for cities and regions to enable a transition to a circular economy.
This COP28 side event has been organised by the EESC, the European Commission and the Coordination Group members of ECESP. It took place on 10 December in Dubai, focusing on Accelerating the financing of the circular economy in climate and biodiversity strategies.
FOODRUS is a European Horizon 2020 project aiming to build resilient local food systems in Europe by developing circular solutions to limit food loss and waste along the agri-food value chain. As part of this mission, FOODRUS will be holding three workshops in Spain on 31 January and 1 February 2024 during the FOODRUS: Reduciendo el desperdicio alimentario (#ReducingFoodWaste) event.