This JRC report emphasises the importance of standardisation in promoting circular construction and the circular economy. 

It discusses the need for future standardisation and pre-normative research for circular construction in terminology, metrology, performance characterisation, compatibility and operability assessments.

The report highlights the need for clear objectives, focused standards, cost-effectiveness, common future scenarios, resource indicators, and practical implementation aspects to advance circularity in the construction industry. The recommendations provided aim to guide future standardisation activities, aligning with circular principles to drive industry competitiveness and environmental stewardship.

Fast moving consumer goods companies (FMCGs) and retailers have the power to make nature-positive food that’s good for farmers and business mainstream.

To do this, food designers can use the principles of the circular economy and apply them across all dimensions of food design.

This report:

• Identifes the significant opportunity for FMCGs and retailers to catalyse a rapid transition towards a nature-positive food system;
• Explores how circular design for food can be fully leveraged as the approach to realise such an outcome;
• Analyses the economics of circular design opportunities for a select number of food types in the EU and the UK, using a replicable approach;
• Lays out what businesses and policymakers can do to accelerate progress on this agenda.
   

A comprehensive circular economy approach is the only solution that can match the scale of the global textile waste problem.

This report, written for policymakers, feeds into the global debate on textile waste and pollution. It focuses on Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) policies, stipulating mandatory, fee-based schemes. These are a crucial policy tool to ensure discarded textiles are collected and put back in circulation at scale, rather than being incinerated or landfilled.

The data modelling and analytics used focus on selected countries (including Chile, EU Member States, Ghana, India, Kenya, Tunisia and the USA), chosen due to the significant role they play in the trade of used textiles, as well as the existence or ongoing development of EPR policy.

This report discusses the EU’s clean energy transition plans, highlighting how circular economy strategies and sustainable resource management can support strategic autonomy while being Paris-compatible. 

It aims to inform stakeholders about the EU’s plans to safeguard its clean energy transition ambitions. Specifically, the report highlights how the uptake of circular economy strategies can contribute to the strategic autonomy agenda (with particular regard to CRMs) while being compatible with the Paris Agreement and the Sustainable Development Goals. It also reflects on the EU’s overall material footprint in the context of global equities as the Union transitions to a climate-neutral and circular economy.

This report demonstrates the value of a circular economy that is regenerative by design.

The health of our economy relies on the health of nature, but nature has been overexploited and undervalued – and is declining at an unprecedented rate. That needs to change.

This study focuses on Europe’s built environment and explores how a nature-positive circular economy in the sector can unlock a huge economic opportunity for the continent, increasing resilience, competitiveness and the vibrancy of its cities. 

Six circular economy strategies have been selected based on their potential to drive economic and nature-positive gains and realise wider environmental and social outcomes.

This report aims to shed light on the carbon footprint of the retail and wholesale sector in Europe and its value chains around the world. Besides providing insight into the status quo, it aims to set out a path towards a more sustainable future across four retail and wholesale subsectors:

1. food and beverage and health and beauty
2. textile and apparel
3. consumer electronics, and
4. home and do-it-yourself.

The study points out that there are four decarbonisation levers for retailers and wholesalers, including improved product circularity and improved packaging circularity.

The publisher hopes that this study will provide policymakers with actionable insights.

The Mediterranean is facing rising challenges related to environmental degradation, biodiversity loss, pollution, overpopulation and water scarcity. These issues are exacerbated by heatwaves, droughts and coastal vulnerabilities. This means that there is a critical need for an immediate transition to a green, circular economy in the Euro-Mediterranean region.

This report looks at the state of play there, the challenges to be faced and the role of stakeholders. It is intended to help policymakers align decisions and strategies for sustainable economic development and to provide up-to-date information for funding agencies, businesses, researchers, academics and civil society organisations advocating for green and fair policies in the Mediterranean region.

Is it actually cheaper to get second life furniture?

The Office Furniture Remanufacturing Association launched the Second Life Furniture mark (label) in 2023, where the term "second life furniture" comprises furniture that is reused, refurbished and remanufactured.

Organisations using the mark are required to submit their calculations and observations, providing a database of 11 projects to date, which has been analysed to identify patterns of adoption. OFRA has now issued a report on their findings.

In practice:

• The minimum second life furniture percentage was 60%.
• All projects would have been able to achieve cost savings on a like-for-like basis.
• All projects are attractive; no compromise in aesthetics was reported or observed. 
  
   

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.

The Waste Framework Directive mandates that from 2025, EU Member States must establish separate collection systems for used textiles.

This briefing provides an overview of the state of play of textile waste generation, collection systems, treatment capacity and the different classifications for used textiles in Europe. It also identifies factors which must be considered when implementing separate collection systems, with a view to fostering the circularity of textiles without inadvertently increasing exports, incineration or landfilling.

It is underpinned by a report from the European Environment Agency’s European Topic Centre on Circular Economy and Resource Use.