16 July 2019
Circle Economy Report Highlights Role of Local Governments in Enabling Circular Economy
Photo credit: Lynn Wagner
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The report proposes that governments adopt strategies and targets to help the business community share societal and environmental objectives, provide loans and subsidies for circular economy activities, and promote networks and information sharing.

The report includes examples of local government action on circular economy in European cities.

June 2019: A report by the Circle Economy, a membership-based organization, has provided a range of recommendations for municipalities to promote the transition from a linear to a circular economy. The report, based on research in several European cities, argues that municipalities and governments are responsible for creating conditions for the circular economy to thrive, and suggests that such a transition could create 700,000 new jobs in the EU by the year 2020.

The report titled, ‘The Role of Municipal Policy in the Circular Economy: Investment, Jobs and Social Capital in Circular Cities’, presents the findings of a study by Circle Economy and the Erasmus Happiness Economics Research Organisation, supported by the Goldschmeding Foundation. In the 34-page report, the authors propose that governments adopt strategies and targets to help the business community share societal and environmental objectives, provide loans and subsidies for circular economy activities, and promote networks and information sharing. The report includes examples of local government action on circular economy in European cities, including Barcelona, Paris, Amsterdam, and Birmingham. It also highlights the work of companies engaged in circular economy activities, including sustainable transport and logistics, and avoidance of food waste.

The concept of a circular economy was highlighted during the 2018 High-level Political Forum on Sustainable Development (HLPF) as a way of achieving SDG 12 on sustainable consumption and production as well as other Goals. An October 2018 joint meeting of the 73rd UN General Assembly’s Economic and Financial Committee (the Second Committee) and the UN Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) on Circular Economy for the SDGs noted that the concept has particular application to SDG 7 (affordable and clean energy), SDG 8 (decent work and economic growth), SDG 11 (sustainable cities and communities), SDG 12 (responsible consumption and production), SDG 13 (climate action), SDG 14 (life below water), and SDG 15 (life on land).

Circle Economy describes its mission as accelerating the transition to circularity through the development of practical and scalable solutions and international campaigns. Its membership is made up of businesses and institutions that share this aim, including Oxfam. The Amsterdam-based organization has programmes on cities, jobs, textiles, the built environment, finance, and “remanufacturing.” [Publication: The Role of Municipal Policy in the Circular Economy: Investment, Jobs and Social Capital in Circular Cities]


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