The European Commission is calling on European cities committed to sustainability to apply for the 2026 European Green Capital and Green Leaf Awards. The call for applications is open until 30 April 2024.
In 2022 the Podravje region (Slovenia) became part of the Circular Cities and Regions Initiative (CCRI) and was selected as one of the 12 CCRI pilots being supported for the implementation of Circular Systemic Solutions (CSS) which could provide answers to major challenges beyond resource management and waste/water recovery.
The region is now developing a circular bioeconomy strategy which is the key document describing the available regional resources and linking them to suitable CSSs.
So far, two rounds of consultations with regional stakeholders have been organised and 9 key CCSs have been identified as the key activities within 4 priority areas:
Linked to the BATRAW project that develops circular approaches for electric vehicle batteries, this CEPS report delves into the new EU regulatory framework for batteries and the expanding EU digital product passport landscape. It identifies key opportunities and challenges for battery passports based on data collected from companies at different stages of the battery value chain.
The data suggest that the battery passport can help break down information silos among supply chain actors and support recycling and reuse. It also provides opportunities for increasing transparency about carbon footprint impacts across battery supply chains, while creating a level playing field with horizontal requirements for all supply chain actors.
A modern society needs access to all the critical raw materials (CRM) necessary to maintain and develop its industries, infrastructure and welfare. CRM are especially important for ongoing technology shifts like the European Green Deal and digitalisation processes.
Five milestones must be reached to establish Nordic secondary value chains for CRM:
A system that makes it possible to identify waste streams with CRM-recycling potential.
A system for cost-effective and efficient collection of waste streams with CRM-recycling potential.
A system for separating materials enriched with CRM from other materials in the waste stream.
A recycling technology that allows for recovery of all relevant CRM at acceptable rates.
Go Circular 2024 will focus on utilising enablers and breaking barriers to achieve plastic circularity.
It's an opportunity to discuss the main challenges in the field of plastic circularity and to identify partners for related projects. The conference covers the entire circular plastic value chain and aims to speed up the shift to a low carbon circular economy.
Used clothing exports from the Netherlands totalled more than €193 million in 2022: not an insignificant amount.
Understanding the realities of second-hand clothing markets in export destinations will be crucial to develop appropriate policy at national and supranational levels. The aim is to support the socially equitable and environmentally sustainable processing of used textiles, and ensure that this industry is in line with the EU's 2020 Circular Economy Action Plan and the European Green Deal.
To this end, the report explores what happens to textiles collected in the Netherlands in their various destination countries, and highlights the impacts and risks associated with these exports, as well as how they are addressed.
This briefing looks into how circular economy and waste sector policies and measures can reduce greenhouse gas emisions.
It analyses how European countries include circular economy and waste actions in their reporting on climate change mitigation policies and measures and how the introduction of additional measures can help accelerate future reductions of GHG emissions.
The briefing finds that waste management and the circular economy have considerable potential for mitigating climate change. Therefore, countries would benefit from including policies and measures in these areas in their climate policy mix.
EU policymakers recently decided to introduce a direct ban on the destruction of textiles and footwear, with some exemptions for small, micro and medium-sized companies.
In this briefing, the EEA takes stock of what is currently known about the volumes and destruction of returned and unsold textiles in Europe. The growth of online shopping, flexible return practices, changed consumer preferences and fast-fashion business strategies in Europe have resulted in increased shares of returned and unsold textiles.
Over the past years, fast fashion and luxury brands have been reported as destroying returned or unsold clothing, shoes and other textiles. Textile product destruction is a very good example of a ‘take-make-waste’ approach.
The European Green Deal is a cornerstone of efforts to achieve climate neutrality by 2050 and deliver the Sustainable Development Goals in the EU. Many policy targets are dependent on action by local and regional authorities.
The current Commission's mandate is coming to an end, and so this is a good time to kick-start discussion on the "future" Green Deal and the role of local and regional authorities in implementing it.
The European Commission’s Joint Research Centre is therefore launching a stakeholder consultation for urban policy experts and policy makers, in order to get a better understanding of policy and target priorities for EU cities.
Following a request by the Belgian Presidency of the Council of the European Union, the European Committee of the Regions is preparing an opinion on What is the role of local and regional authorities in the transition towards a circular economy? The opinion is being drawn up by Loredana Capone, president of Apulia Regional Council (Italy).
This stakeholder consultationis intended to provide Ms Capone with input for the opinion.