Industry faces major challenges with regard to handling the transition to an economy with net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050. Whilst there is a growing body of literature seeking to understand how this transition will unfold, there is currently limited understanding of what the wider environmental impacts could be from the transformation.
Industry faces major challenges with regard to handling the transition to an economy with net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050. As yet, we are far from fully understanding the potential wider environmental impacts of this transformation. Furthermore, we are largely unaware of the untapped potential of industrial facilities in sectors covered by the Industrial Emissions Directive (IED) to contribute to the circular economy.
The study aimed to provide an initial overview of the potential wider environmental impacts of industry's transition within the scope of the IED to a low carbon economy, and to gain a better understanding of how IED facilities could contribute to a circular economy.
Fab City Challenge is an initiative launched in 2014 by the then mayor of Barcelona, challenging cities to become self-sustainable by 2054. The project has now expanded into a sustainable cities network working on the digital transition, localisation and regenerative economy. One focus is combating food waste and using fresh produce which would otherwise have been thrown out.
Members have access to knowledge exchange, network events, research opportunities and engagement with like-minded cities around the world. They meet once a year at the Fab City Summit, where new cities also join the Network.
Distributed Innovation Workshops are also organised, where participants learn about various areas of innovation and sustainability.
Better World Fashion produces new quality products from waste materials. Their primary material, leather, is from discarded post-consumer products collected by NGOs.
AIMPLAS, the Plastics Technology Centre, is collaborating with the Microbiology and Ecology Department of the Universitat de València on the DURPROMAT project, led by the industrial company DURPLASTICS. They are working to develop a new type of plastic that is more resistant to impact, UV radiation and the action of marine organisms.
Sitra works with partners from different sectors to research, trial and implement bold new ideas that shape the future. It aims to make Finland a pioneer in sustainable well-being.
It is a future-oriented fund which creates preconditions for reform, spurring everyone towards making a change and providing opportunities for co-operation.
Sitra’s work focuses on supporting a fair transition to a circular economy and investigating how business can be based on sharing instead of ownership. Sitra is also working to advance circular trade policies, to increase the understanding of environmental effects of digitisation and to explore the potential of the circular economy to safeguard biodiversity.
At 12.00 CET today, watch the launch of the Global Alliance on Circular Economy and Resource Efficiency (GACERE). The alliance brings together governments and relevant networks and organisations to provide a global impetus for initiatives related to the circular economy transition, resource efficiency and sustainable consumption and production, building on efforts being deployed internationally.
In a call for projects the PREVENT Waste Alliance was searching for innovative and sustainable solutions contributing to a circular economy in low- and middle-income countries. The eight selected pilot projects will now be implemented in 15 countries worldwide.
The third Global Bioeconomy Summit (GBS) organised by the International Advisory Council on Global Bioeconomy (IACGB) was held in an interactive and virtual format in November 2020. The conference report and other highlights from the event are now available.
