Each year, the EEA takes stock of progress towards meeting the six objectives of the 8th Environment Action Programme (EAP), one of which is a regenerative circular economy.
The report finds that the EU's consumption exceeds the planet's 'safe operating space' for resource extraction and its consumption is unlikely to decrease significantly this decade. It is also unlikely that per capita total waste generation will significantly decrease by 2030.
Legislation already in place to prevent waste generation and improve waste management — including through recycling and the reuse of materials — has contributed to a relative decoupling of raw material consumption and waste generation from economic growth but significant additional efforts are needed to reach the 2030 targets.
This package of measures intended to simplify environmental legislation has been proposed by the European Commission. What impact will it have on the circular economy?
SUSBOARD is a new Horizon Europe Circular Bio-based Europe Joint Europe (CBE-JU) innovation project. It aims to develop a 100% bio-based, formaldehyde-free and cost-competitive adhesive for particleboard and medium-density fibreboard. The adhesive is manufactured using secondary biomass streams, and will greatly facilitate recycling and recovery.
The Horizon Europe iCOSHELLs project aims to reduce soil pollution and promote restoration, improve soil structure and biodiversity, and increase soil literacy. It has launched an open call for new stakeholders and prototypes (innovative practices, technologies, circular solutions or tools), to be tested in real-life conditions within the Living Labs.
Specialists, companies and key stakeholders from the packaging value chain will address the challenges and opportunities posed by the transition toward more sustainable models and explore the latest trends in barrier packaging materials and solutions.
This edition of Science for Environment Policy is a collection of seven previously published articles on scientific studies relevant to the circular economy. Read about battery collection, whether laypeople can really understand LCA data, chemical recycling and why people throw away clothing.
This webinar will look at how the EU Ecodesign for Sustainable Products Regulation (ESPR) is affecting Indian textile and fashion suppliers exporting to the EU. It will explain what is involved and what exporters need to do to comply with the rules.
This joint statement is a collaborative effort by the Cambridge Institute for Sustainability Leadership, Ellen MacArthur Foundation, Environmental Coalition on Standards, European Environmental Bureau, Institute for European Environmental Policy, Reuse and Recycling European Union Social Enterprises (RREUSE) and Zero Waste Europe.
It calls for the Act to embed circular economy principles into Europe’s entire economic system. It underscores the urgent need for robust legislation that can accelerate the transition and secure the EU's leadership in the global circular economy.
Key points:
Set science-based targets on resource use
Harness the potential of keeping products and components in use, not just materials
Accelerate safe material circulation by integrating chemical and circular legislation.
A number of ECESP Coordination Group members have published their contributions to the call for evidence on the Circular Economy Act. The Group covers a wide spectrum of interests, and this necessarily influences their views on what should be included in the CEA and just how the Act should drive on the circular economy. Have a look!
Building on challenges and best practices identified among frontrunner cities and regions, ICLEI Europe and its members have provided nine policy recommendations to address the limitations of the current scope of the CEA:
Leverage circular economy to cut consumption-based emissions
Reduce material consumption to enhance the EU’s economic security
Ensure the transition to a circular economy is just and inclusive, leaving no one behind
Ensure a multilevel governance approach in policy development and implementation
Shift funding from piloting towards scaling-up
Build capacity in cities to support circular economy implementation
Build the case to reform the linear tax system
Leverage public procurement to provide a launch market for circular businesses
