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.
The New European Bauhaus is a creative and interdisciplinary initiative, a space of encounter to design future ways of living, at the crossroads between art, culture, social inclusion, science and technology, in the name of simplicity, functionality and circularity. Its team is planning a series of information sessions to present the opportunities to contribute to the initiative.
The Nordic working group on Circular Economy and Nordic Swan Ecolabel have investigated the potential for developing ecolabels for the growing sharing economy. Their findings are set out in a Study into the Potential Framework for Ecolabelling of Sharing Based Services in a Circular Economy Perspective.
The study examines sharing economy sectors and gives some recommendations:
a screening model has been developed which indicates which market/business models ecolabels should focus on in future;
ecolabels should adopt a medium broad definition of the sharing economy, divided into its three main groups: gig, peer-to-peer and access economy;
ecolabels should focus on the transport sector and the entertainment business.
The Collaborating Centre on Sustainable Consumption and Production (CSCP) is an international, non-profit think-and-do tank that works with businesses, policy makers, partner organisations and civil society to deliver a good life for all. They are experts in sustainable solutions and aim to mainstream sustainability.
CSCP is active in fields such as social innovation, sustainable product portfolio and footprint assessments. It provides policy advisory services rooted in scientific research and hands-on experience, and develops focused research and evaluation through real-time prototype testing in a holistic living lab format. It also conducts training and capacity building.
The transition from a linear to a circular economy is one of the most important imperatives of our time: it requires a fundamental change in the way we produce and consume. A circular approach to production and consumption reduces emissions and pollution, increases competitiveness, and boosts innovation.
On 18 January 2021, the co-design phase of the New European Bauhaus is officially starting! The launch was announced by Commissioners Gabriel and Ferreira.
ZWE is the European network of communities, local leaders, experts and change agents working towards a better use of resources and the elimination of waste in our society. It advocates for sustainable systems; for the redesign of our relationship with resources; and for a global shift towards environmental justice, accelerating a just transition towards zero waste for the benefit of people and the planet.
The network now includes 35 members from 28 European countries and works with topics across the whole chain, from product design to reusability to end-of-pipe waste management solutions, and from the phase-out of plastics to waste trade and municipal zero waste strategies.
Part of its work is done in Brussels, influencing European legislation from product design to waste disposal.
Maria Nikolopoulou, member of the European and Economic Social Committee and keen supporter of circularity, reflects on the circular economy as a recipe for success in an article published on Open Access Government.
The Großes Walsertal region has developed a Circular Economy Strategy: it has set itself the objective of introducing circularity at every stage of the value chain, from production to consumption, repair and waste management. Smart product design and increased recycling and reuse activities will contribute to gradually close the loop of each product life-cycle in the region.
The Großes Walsertal communities act as role models by sharing tools, offering vouchers for local food stores (as part of the leisure activities funding) and implementing binding green criteria for events organised on their territory.
This report, drawn up by the Swedish Environmental Protection Agency, describes innovation competition as a method of tackling major environmental challenges, specifically how to provide food sustainably and resource-efficiently in the future.
Two teams with expertise in plastics, logistics and sustainability developed solutions focused on a more regional food supply enabling us to reduce the amount of plastic, packaging and transport used. The winning submission is a conversion tool describing the principles of sustainable production and consumption of food.
