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Innovation et investissement

Growth-positive zero-emission pathways to 2050

Sitra studies 185

Type:

Author: 
Paul Drummond, Daniel Scamman, Paul Ekins (UCL), Leonidas Paroussos (E3-Modelling), Ilkka Keppo (UCL and Aalto University)
Publication Date: 
04/2021
Country: 
Finland

Language for original content:

Sitra commissioned this study to investigate whether and under what assumptions and policy measures the decoupling of CO2 emissions from economic growth could occur at a sufficient rate for CO2 emissions to decline to net zero by 2050. The analyses were carried out on a global level.

The results of this study show that deep CO2 emission cuts in line with the 1.5 °C target and positive GDP growth can occur at the same time.

A natural next step would be to analyse in detail the decoupling of other harmful environmental impacts from economic growth. For example, a global shift to more circular business models could reduce CO2 emissions and help cut the use of materials and natural resources while maintaining economic growth.

The winning recipe for a circular economy

Sitra publication

Type:

Author: 
Maria Hughes, Reetta Kohonen, Antti Lehtinen, Anu Mänty and Mika Sulkinoja (Sitra), Lauri Byckling, Nina Ahola, Ella Tolonen, Nicolas Dolce, Miikka Simanainen (Deloitte Finland), Olivier Jan, Pierrick Drapeau, Andreas Mitsios, Khai Linh Lhomme, Laura Plamondon (Deloitte France), Akira Kato, Arisa Fukuoka (Deloitte Japan), Joe Solly, Jillian Rodak, Tamara Luisce (Deloitte Canada)
Publication Date: 
04/2021
Country: 
Finland

Language for original content:

The study The winning recipe for a circular economy by Sitra set out to find diverse circular economy solutions that are viable and scalable, that drive systemic circularity, and that have exceptionally positive environmental and social impacts. Over 200 organisations around the world submitted their solutions for consideration.

The study presents 39 outstanding examples of circular economy solutions that are closing material loops and driving the circular transition while being very relevant to their own environment. These solutions demonstrate the benefits of circular business operations and how different organisations across society can use circular thinking to improve the value of their business and progress towards achieving the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals.

Fjällräven up-cycles wool as a by-product of the meat industry

Sheep @cvil

Fjällräven is giving wool waste a second life by using it for innovative purposes, like padding in jackets or backplate in backpacks.

TAPA: Rubber substitute for sustainable materials in car components

Rubber image

Type of organisation or company:

Country: 
Belgium, EU, Spain

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Cikautxo worked with the TAPA (ThermoplAstic fluid handling Pipes for cooling circuits in Automotive sector) project, funded by EIT RawMaterials, to develop new materials for pipes and hoses. They substituted natural rubber with a 100% recyclable thermoplastic material (thermoplastic elastomeric, TPE), using energy-efficient extrusion technology.

22 Apr 2021 to 23 Apr 2021
New European Bauhaus

Event type:

City: 
Online
Country: 
EU

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The circular economy is all about imagining together a sustainable future and engaging on a transformative path towards affordable, sustainable and beautiful lifestyles, be it buildings or textiles. To know more about the Bauhaus initiative, register for the first online high-level Conference on the New European Bauhaus that will take place on 22-23 April 2021.

SUSTAINair: bringing the aerospace and aviation sectors in line with circular principles

SUSTAINair project

The Horizon 2020 project SUSTAINair was launched recently. It aims to research and develop solutions to increase resource efficiency and aircraft performance while cutting down on waste and material costs throughout the aircraft life cycle - what is known as "circular aviation".

SUSTAINair: circular economy for the aviation and aerospace sectors

SUSTAINair

SUSTAINair is an H2020-funded platform developing circular economy principles for the aviation and aerospace design, manufacturing, operations and end-of-life phases. This EU-funded research project aims to make the entire supply chain ecosystem greener, in line with the Circular Economy Action Plan, and to set new standards for aerospace manufacturing, enabling an increase in cross-sector synergies.

The SUSTAINair project provides the aviation sector with a path to a more cost-effective, low-carbon economy, while tackling the increase in resource consumption, waste and emissions. Because of this, the SUSTAINair project has been endorsed by the Future Sky research initiative of the Association of European Research Establishments in Aeronautics (EREA).

 

CLIC: applying circular economy principles to cultural heritage

CLIC project logo

Type of organisation or company:

Country: 
EU

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Scope:

CLIC trans-disciplinary research project aims to demonstrate that it is economically, socially and environmentally convenient to maintain and/or reuse cultural heritage and landscape.

09 Sep 2021 to 10 Sep 2021
2nd international packaging conference

The 2nd International Conference on Circular Packaging on 9-10 September aims to connect industry, academia, design studios, brand owners and anyone involved in the packaging life cycle. It will focus on sharing knowledge, good practices and ideas, and forging new links in the shift from linear to circular packaging supply chains and business models.

The Danish Knowledge Centre for Circular Construction launches a network for professionals

VCOB logo

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Country: 
Denmark

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VCØB aims to guide, support and involve actors from the construction value chain in Denmark. They help identify issues and barriers to the circular economy in construction, through increased knowledge sharing and dialogue.

Ultimately, VCØB wants Denmark to have a flexible market for the circular economy. It is working on:

  • gathering and providing technical expert knowledge, facts and figures on the circular economy for all actors in the construction value chain
  • developing new knowledge and tools, both as part of their own activities and in collaboration with other networks and stakeholders
  • conducting a number of activities, such as partnering with networks/projects, conferences, workshops and webinars.

Marealis: peptides harvested from discarded prawn shells help fight high blood pressure

Type of organisation or company:

Country: 
EU, Other (Norway)

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Marealis uses discarded prawn shells from the seafood industry to make a natural supplement that can lower blood pressure.

08 Apr 2021
Innowo event

During the event on 8 April the Innowo Institute will launch the report "Circular Business Opportunities in Poland" commissioned by the Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands. After a presentation of the main findings of the report, a panel will discuss the possibilities of business development of circular solutions in Poland.

11 May 2021

On 11 May at 3 p.m. CEST, join Rijkswaterstaat, Madaster, Restado/Concular and Institut National de l’Economie Circulaire for online interactive workshops showcasing success stories and identifying challenges and opportunities in fields such as public procurement, digital logbooks and circular design for infrastructure work. Registrations are open!

Studio Thomas Vailly's flower power: how to make leather and glue from sunflowers

Studio Thomas Vailly

Studio Thomas Vailly's project makes use of what is left of the sunflower crop to produce innovative materials.

Sonae Arauco: Sustainable wood-based panels made from wood industry by-products

Sonae Arauco logo

Sonae Arauco is a wood-based panel producer that contributes to the circular economy through the recovery of wood waste. It has developed a close value chain that reuses and recycles the wood residues generated during the production process. 

Using walnut waste to control plant parasites

nordwood-themes-kyaiexscof0-unsplash

Type of organisation or company:

Country: 
Portugal

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A team of researchers from the research centre CIEPQPF and the CFE of the University of Coimbra has developed an innovative application for recovered waste from walnut fruit: compounds with a “nematocidal” effect have been extracted that can control plant-parasitic nematodes affecting a wide range of species.

Fibrenamics and LREC-Azores: Circular economy project for the civil construction sector in the Azores

Fibrenamics logo

Ambiente_Sregional is a circular economy project for the civil construction sector in the Azores, developed jointly by Fibrenamics, the international platform of the University of Minho, and the Regional Laboratory of Civil Engineering (LREC-Azores).

SEAclic: Resource-saving packaging for temperature-sensitive foods from Storopack

SEAclic bio-based application

Type of organisation or company:

Country: 
Germany, Other (Worldwide)

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SEAclic is a project developed by the German company Storopack, which has created a packaging technology suitable for temperature-sensitive food products, such as fish. The bio-based version of the Storopack SEAclic Box is made from a new, compostable plastic. 

Fraunhofer IAP and re:newcell join forces to convert old cotton clothing into a mass manufacturing fibre

Photo source © Fraunhofer IAP

The company re:newcell, together with a group of scientist from the Fraunhofer Institute for Applied Polymer Research (IAP), have developed a technique that transforms recycled cotton into viscose rayon fibre, which is a suitable material for mass manufacturing.

Econooc beehive made from mushroom and plastic waste

Econooc hive logo

Type of organisation or company:

Country: 
Ireland

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Scope:

Econooc is a no-effort conservation beehive made from mycelium and other repurposed/sustainable materials. 

Circular Gothenburg

Göteborgs Stads logo

Circular Gothenburg focuses on resource efficiency to reduce climate change and achieve circular material flows.

It has three target groups: citizens, city departments and businesses. For all three target groups, the goal is to make it simple, straightforward and attractive to participate in transformational circular work. This includes the municipality’s in-house processes and activities which help people to live in a more circular way. One of these activities is the Fixotek: staffed facilities, close to where people live and open to everyone, where people can meet, learn, repair and redesign products, borrow tools and swap toys, clothes and books.

Circulair Friesland's three lines of action: Doing. Learning. Telling.

Circulair Friesland logo

Friesland, a province in the north of the Netherlands, has a strong cultural identity, its own language, an economy mostly devoted to agriculture and 20 000 companies - 99% of them SMEs. The province faces economic and demographic challenges but is becoming one of the best examples of a successful transition towards a circular economy. It aims to be the most circular EU region by 2025.

According to the public/private association Circulair Friesland, this province is thus:

  • Doing: policies on the circular economy, financing circular SMEs and research, ambitiously developing public procurement
  • Learning: active member of the Association of Cities and Regions for sustainable Resource management and involved in European projects
  • Telling: sharing their story with others.

Hungary's Circular Economy Platform

bcsdh logo

The Circular Economy Platform was officially established in November 2018 in Hungary as an initiative of the Business Council for Sustainable Development in Hungary (BCSDH), the Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, and the Ministry of Innovation and Technology.

The aim of the platform is to facilitate the paradigm shift and joint thinking, along with building a community of forward-thinking change leaders and sharing business solutions that make a real impact. For the new model to develop and spread, collaboration and knowledge sharing are required, with the involvement of businesses, government and science.

Danish DigitalLead

Green Tech - Cirkulær økonomi

DigitalLead is Denmark's national cluster for digital technologies. They organise yearly network sessions on circular economy called Green Tech - Cirkulær økonomi.

Employees and managers in related businesses can join the network and participate in meetings to discuss the development of the circular economy and how digital technologies can be applied.

Alliance for Women in a Circular Economy

Alliance for Women in a Circular Economy logo

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Country: 
Czech Republic

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The Alliance for Women in a Circular Economy was created in 2019 in the Czech Republic, and it aims to help project managers interested in the topic get together, discuss, and implement circular economy initiatives.

The alliance has been founded by women, but is also open to men.

A Circular Economy Network run by the Swabian Chamber of Commerce and Industry

IHK Schwaben logo

Type de plateforme ou réseau:

Country: 
Germany

Language for original content:

The Circular Economy Network of Swabia is organised by the Chamber of Commerce and Industry (CCI) of the Bavarian part of Swabia (Germany). It is open to companies that are members of the CCI. The network organises discussions and exchange of experiences on circular economy topics.

Current topics mostly handle activities in the field of waste disposal.

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