The Ellen MacArthur Foundation is a UK charity which aims to speed up the transition to the circular economy. Since it was set up, the charity has emerged as a global thought leader, putting the circular economy on the agenda of decision makers across business, government and academia.
The Ellen MacArthur Foundation is a UK charity which aims to speed up the transition to the circular economy. Since it was set up, the charity has emerged as a global thought leader, putting the circular economy on the agenda of decision makers across business, government and academia.
Carsten Wachholz joined the Foundation in 2020 after spending two years working for the European Investment Bank on Corporate Responsibility and another four years working for the European Environmental Bureau on the first EU Circular Economy Action Plan. Carsten leads the Foundation's newly established Brussels-based team supporting the development of circular economy policies at EU and international level (e.g. G20, OECD), in close collaboration with the Foundation's systemic initiatives on plastics, fashion and food.
The Nordic Sustainable Construction programme (2021-2024) aims to deliver the Nordic Vision 2030, which seeks to make the Nordic region (Iceland, Finland, Denmark, Norway, Sweden, Greenland, The Faroe Islands and Åland) the most sustainable and integrated region by 2030.
The programme focuses on how construction can help create a green transition with green growth in the Nordic region by working towards carbon neutrality and a sustainable, circular and bio-based economy centred around knowledge, innovation, mobility and digital integration.
This paper analyses CE policies and discourses in three European cities to draw critical insights and recommendations.
It first reviews the academic literature on urban CE policies to develop a new conceptual framework for analysing CE discourses and policies. This is then used to analyse and compare the CE policies of Glasgow, Amsterdam and Copenhagen.
Results show that technocentric approaches to the CE are dominant in the three cities. Moreover, they have very limited social justice policies for fair distribution of the costs and benefits of a CE transition. Key policy recommendations to address these shortcomings are thus proposed.
The insights offered by this paper are valuable for practitioners and academics seeking to improve urban CE policies.
On 26 April the municipality of Wiltz, considered to be the "Municipal Hotspot of the Circular Economy in the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg", will hold the annual "Circular Economy Day" conference. This event aims to promote the circular economy at national and regional level by sharing the experience and know-how established through multiple projects and by activating and consolidating the network of stakeholders active in the circular field. The 2023 event will focus on urban metabolism.
For the eighth time, the Cradle to Cradle NGO is inviting 1000 participants to come and debate and network at the International Cradle to Cradle Congress 2023 on 8 and 9 September.
The Congress will feature panel discussions with high-profile speakers from business, politics and science, good practices from established companies and start-ups, inspiring keynote speeches about the circular transformation of our society and many opportunities for networking.
On 28 March 2023, the European Commission will hold a webinar for the buildings sector on "Learn how certification schemes are aligning with Level(s), the EU framework for sustainable buildings."
This special webinar seeks to highlight how building certification schemes across Europe are integrating the Level(s) framework of indicators and objectives into their requirements.
The 2022 Circular Cities Declaration Report is a very important milestone. Not only is it the first progress report for the European Circular Cities Declaration, it also features statements from 40 signatory cities. This makes it the broadest ever assessment of circular economy practices across European cities.
The report shows that considerable progress is being made: half of the 40 cities involved in the programme already have circular economy strategies in place or in development.
This is just the start. By the end of 2025, the aim is to have 150 cities signed up to this Declaration. Together, the signatories are embedding circularity into European cities!
Cities are hubs of humanity, often fuelling a country’s economic growth and innovation. However, they are also resource and energy hungry. As a result, cities are critical when it comes to helping societies shift to a circular economy.
The 2022 Circular Cities Declaration Report is a very important milestone. Not only is it the first progress report for the Declaration, it also features statements from 40 signatory cities. This makes it the broadest ever assessment of circular economy practices across European cities.
