This European Environmental Agency Report presents an analysis of approaches and identifies trends, similarities and new directions taken by countries in resource efficiency and circular economy (CE). It is based exclusively on data provided by 32 Eionet members.
Its main objective is to stimulate exchange of information and good practice between countries and to support capacity building within Eionet.
Another objective is to contribute to various policy processes, including work carried out by European Commission, European Parliament and International Resource Panel.
The report addresses 6 elements:
material resource efficiency and CE in the EU
policy framework
monitoring and targets
examples of innovative approaches and good practice
Circular Change joined other Coordination Group members in several activities to encourage the participation of other relevant circular economy stakeholders in Central and Eastern Europe.
This research reviews the long history and diversity of circularity thinking to develop a comprehensive timeline, which identifies and conceptually classifies 72 different CE-related concepts from the Global North and South alike (such as industrial ecology, Gandhian and steady-state economics, buen vivir, doughnut economics, degrowth).
In November 2020 the paper was completed with an interactive timeline that helps researchers and practitioners better situate and navigate the concept of circular economy, both in its rich historical origins and in its theoretical diversity. It thus fosters a cross-pollination of concepts and ideas which can help address the complex socio-ecological challenges of the 21st century.
To learn more about this timeline, please click here.
Turuta is a project for mutual exchange and enrichment. Starting in 2010 as an experimental microeconomy project, it led to the "turuta market", based on a social currency called turuta (a traditional military march played during Carnival parades). This is used to pay for local goods and services, promoting local production and exchange. Each partner in the turuta market has an online account.
It is a living project being developed by the members of the local ecological economic ecosystem at Vilanova i la Geltrú, Barcelona.
The EU Platform on Food Losses and Food Waste publishes a monthly newsletter to help Platform members stay connected, inform all interested stakeholders about Platform members’ activities and inspire further action in food loss and waste prevention.
Nordic Circular Hotspot is a network and facilitator that accelerates the transition to a sustainable and circular economy in the Nordic region.
It focuses on knowledge sharing, matchmaking and collaboration. It has a roadmap: in 2018, it started up the project, and in 2024 it has reached phase 3: Realisation and implementation in the market. Phase 5, the last one, covers 2028–2030 and will focus on Operation and reaching a circular Nordic market.
Nordic Circular Hotspot functions as the leading resource on the circular economy across the whole of the Nordic region. Its Nordic Circular Arena, Partnership Programme, Nordic Circular Summit and other initiatives are well known and gaining recognition in the Nordic region and beyond.
Swappis is a clothing retail store in central Budapest that attempts to counteract the linear approach of the fashion industry by introducing a business model that focuses on circularity and the reuse of second-hand clothes. Their membership loyalty mechanism is designed to build a strong relationship with customers by encouraging them to choose sustainable options.
The post-COVID-19 recovery plan should be extensive, as the effects of the pandemic on people and economy have, in many cases, been devastating. The recovery plan must also fully support the green transition to guarantee resilience over the long term.
The circular economy has the potential to raise EU GDP by billions of euros, and create around 700,000 extra jobs by 2030. With this in mind, the economic approach should be an integral part of that recovery. It is one of the messages of a new EUROCITIES policy statement on the EU Circular Economy Action Plan that sets out how cities, as significant engines for economic growth, can drive the circular economy to unlock economic, environmental and social benefits.
