European Union
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With half a million inhabitants, the ‘Eurométropole’ of Strasbourg is a collection of 33 municipalities and represents a centre of activity in the east of France. Deeply committed to energy transition, the Eurométropole adopted a climate plan in 2009 aimed at energy savings, the reduction of greenhouse gas (GHG) emission and the development of renewable energies.
Like many cities, Ljubljana is faced with significant overgrowth of Japanese knotweed, a plant on the list of 100 most invasive non-native species worldwide. Ljubljana teamed up with the Re-generacija collective of young designers and architects focused on issues connected to social and environmental well-being, as well as the University Botanic Gardens Ljubljana, the Pulp and Paper Institute and the public waste management company, Snaga, to prevent excessive overgrowth of the plant and reuse it.
Utrecht, one of the four biggest cities in the Netherlands, aims to be climate neutral in 2030 and to reach a fully circular economy by 2050. In the shorter term, Utrecht is committed to increasing its share of circular procurement from 4% of the annual spend in 2016 to 10% by 2020. Utrecht’s sustainable vision is also reflected in its aspiration to become the most bike-friendly city in the world.
Sfridoo.com is an Italian B2B publishing platform for purchasing and selling scrap materials. Using sharing economy princples to turn the circular economy into a reality, Sfridoo has already enabled more than 100 businesses to recycle and reuse industrial scraps.
Lyon Métropole, which includes 59 municipalities and 1.3 million inhabitants, wants to build a sustainable future for its citizens. The Métropole relies on green investments to face environmental challenges. Lyon is also committed to building circular solutions for the region and has been recognised as a ‘zero waste territory’ (territoire zéro déchet, zéro gaspillage) since 2015. In April 2017, Lyon Métropole voted on strategic actions in favour of the circular economy.
Oslo has been developing a waste management system based on circular principles to ensure separate waste collection is maximised and transform waste into secondary raw materials. To do so it has actively engaged with citizens, farmers as well as with its city’s public transportation company.
Facing dramatic deindustrialisation and an uncertain future, the city of Turin implemented processes that paired physical redevelopment with strategic planning to promote citywide revitalisation and economic restructuring in the 1990s. While the transformation has been profound, current challenges call for more circular strategies and an inclusive approach.
Munich has taken its ambitious waste reduction strategy to the next level by developing an innovative reuse lab and shop concept. Its Halle 2 municipal secondhand store not only enables citizens to take responsibility for living more sustainably, it also provides opportunities for job creation, educational programmes and voluntary activities.
As a densely populated and economically powerful urban area, the city of Dusseldorf recognised the challenge of climate change early on and initiated a process of low carbon and zero waste strategy development.
In 2015 Amsterdam commissioned an in-depth study on the potential of a circular economy. The project was the first large-scale research study in the world that uses the ‘city circle scan’ methodology. The scan identifies the areas in which the most significant, tangible progress in realising a circular economy can be achieved. This potential impact is significant and can result in more jobs, bring added value to the city’s economy, and reduce carbon dioxide emissions and material use.
