Götafors School in Sweden has been awarded the BREEAM In-Use Outstanding certification, proving that modular construction can be used to make a modern, energy-efficient and environmentally-friendly school.
The European Economic and Social Committee will hold a public hearing in connection with its ongoing opinion on Aligning the circular economy and the bioeconomy at EU and national level. This opinion aims to enhance the synergies between bioeconomy, circularity and sustainability by promoting a more integrated and systemic approach to the circular bioeconomy.
The event will be webstreamed and interpreted into English, French and German. Participants will be able to interact.
ISO 59004 belongs to the ISO 59000 family of standards which is designed to foster a shift towards a circular economy.
Focusing on Circular economy — Vocabulary, principles and guidance for implementation, this standard advocates for a circular economy model which emphasises the sustainable management and renewal of natural resources.
It aims to help organisations contribute to the United Nations Agenda 2030 for Sustainable Development by facilitating the transition to circular use of resources. It sets out key terms and concepts, a vision for a circular economy, core principles and practical guidance for delivering on sustainability goals.
You can read a sample or purchase the full version on the ISO website.
ISO 59010 covers Circular economy — Guidance on the transition of business models and value networks.
This standard provides guidance for organisations wishing to take their value creation models and networks from linear to circular. It focuses on business-oriented strategies to implement circular economy practices at both organisational and inter-organisational levels. It complements ISO 59004 by offering more detailed guidance on assessing current value creation models, mapping value chains and value networks, and developing strategies for circularity. ISO 59010 is designed to help organisations make this transition effectively.
You can read a sample or purchase the full version on the ISO website.
The European community PACCT for Sustainability (Product as a service to Accelerate Cooperation and Circular Transformation) will host a webinar on 25 June to explore how to finance product-as-a-service models.
Participants will be able to interact with RISE, ABN-AMRO and LINXFOUR, who will be talking about their experiences.
The FOODY EU project promotes entrepreneurial skills and employment of young people, using circular economy principles to combat unemployment. It provides comprehensive information on the management and environmental impacts of food waste, using the food industry and waste management sector to instill in young people the value of resource conservation.
ISO 59020 covers Circular economy — Measuring and assessing circularity performance.
It provides a structured approach for organisations to measure and assess their circularity performance. It aims to standardise the process by which organisations collect and calculate data, using mandatory and optional circularity indicators.
This standard will:
help organisations align with global sustainability goals
enhance transparency and accountability in environmental reporting
support strategic decision-making for sustainable resource management.
You can read a sample or purchase the full version on the ISO website.
Together with ISO 59004 and ISO 59010, these standards offer a complete toolkit for achieving a circular economy, from principles to measurement.
During the World Circular Economy Forum 2024, the European Commissioner for International Partnerships Jutta Urpilainen announced two initiatives intended to advance the circular economy at global level.
The establishment of the EU Circular Economy Resource Centre under the Global Gateway strategy will facilitate peer-to-peer exchanges and partnerships between EU and third-country stakeholders, fostering the uptake of sound circular economy policies and business models worldwide. The Commissioner announced a EUR 15 million commitment from the European Commission.
In addition, Commissioner Urpilainen launched the "SWITCH to Circular Economy in East and Southern Africa” programme. The European Commission will contribute EUR 40 million over five years to this programme, which will promote the transition to circular economies.
One advantage of land-based aquaculture is that emissions can theoretically be contained and reused. However, the techniques for doing so keep evolving. If the Nordic aquaculture industry is to grow in an environmentally sustainable manner, information is needed on the best available techniques.
The Nordic Council of Ministers therefore requested a report on the best available techniques for reducing and reusing emissions from land-based aquaculture. This report explores the state of play of Nordic aquaculture and takes stock of emerging and established techniques for reducing emissions and managing waste, with a focus on the circular economy. Improving waste management might improve the viability of land-based aquaculture, supporting the sustainable growth of this sector.
From 15 to 18 April, circular economy professionals from 168 countries came together at WCEF2024 to collaborate and turn ideas into action.
The Summary Report takes stock of the event: it presents the findings and key takeaways, including reports, tools and calls to action launched at the forum by partners, discussion highlights and key statistics.
