Circle Economy

🌍 We're proud to be part of the Circular Cities and Regions Initiative (CCRI), advancing the municipal circular economy across Canada! 🇨🇦 It’s been just three years since the Circular Cities and Regions Initiative (CCRI) was launched—but it’s already had a significant impact on Canada’s net-zero transition.   In collaboration with CCRI, Circle Economy played a key role in delivering bilingual capacity-building workshops—empowering over 600 local government representatives from 25+ communities. Our workshops have provided municipalities with the tools and knowledge to drive circular economy initiatives at both beginner and intermediate levels. Today, the CCRI has become a known name in the circular economy space, earning recognition as Canada's Clean50 Top Project winner. Additionally, Circle Economy contributed to building an evidence base for circular decision-making in local governments, delivering reports for Toronto, Montreal and Richmond (coming soon!). CCRI's Resources page contains all our three years' worth of insights. Discover circular economy resources for Canada here: https://lnkd.in/erXetZXc The CCRI, developed by the Federation of Canadian Municipalities, Green Municipal Fund, the National Zero Waste Council (NZWC)/Metro Vancouver, the Recycling Council of Alberta, and RECYC-QUÉBEC, is dedicated to advancing circular economy knowledge-sharing and capacity-building across Canadian communities of all sizes. #CircularEconomy #Sustainability #CommunityLeadership #CCRI #ResilientCommunities #Innovation

Exciting announcement! Ashoka, #IKEASocialEntrepreneurship, the UNDP Accelerator Labs and Circle Economy teamed up to dive into key considerations for informal employment in the circular economy. Here are key takeaways from our generative conversations: 📌’Informality’ is a label imposed on workers, who regard their work as simply a way of life and means of livelihood rather than part of an ‘informal’ economy. 📌The stigma attached to informal labour hinders recognition of the significant economic and circular contributions these actors make to local and global circularity. 📌Informal settings are rich with circular economy knowledge and ingenuity but often overshadowed by dominant views shaped by technology and other innovations in the formal sector. 📌 Formalisation of employment in the circular economy can offer significant benefits, but it may also create unintended negative consequences if not managed carefully. Our findings aim to inspire concrete actions among the actors working at the intersection of circularity and informality, including promoting policies for informal workers, developing circular programs that include these workers, redirecting finance and rethinking engagement with informal labour and supply chains. Discover more insights on informality in the circular economy here: https://lnkd.in/eudQZjHC What do you think? How can we empower informal workers in a way that supports their livelihoods? Post a comment and share your thoughts with us. #CircularEconomy #JustTransition #InformalWorkers #SocialEntrepreneurship

The meaning of ‘just transition’ has broadened in recent years to include those most affected by—but least responsible for—the climate crisis, including women, communities of colour, and Indigenous people.  As the energy transition picks up speed—and with it demand for materials to drive it—we must be clear on how circular economy strategies can be used to create a balanced, coordinated and just transition. Find out more in a recent blog article by Esther Goodwin Brown and Jana Rué Glutting.

How did Vienna kickstart its circular transition? This UN-Habitat (United Nations Human Settlements Programme) #UrbanOctober, we're highlighting insights from the Circular City Advisory (CCA) pilot programme by The Circular City Centre – C3. As part of this programme, Circle Economy’s experts supported several European cities, including Vienna, in their circular transitions. The Australian capital Vienna (City of Vienna) used the CCA to develop a circular economy strategy focused on the built environment, a priority sector for the city. Over four workshops across six months, city representatives and experts refined existing goals and initiatives while defining key actions to drive progress. Vienna had already launched several circular initiatives, giving it a strong foundation. The workshops also helped the city secure funding for future projects and align its efforts with the international expertise provided by the programme. Thanks to CCA, Vienna was able to further develop the measures outlined in its 'DoTank Circular City Wien 2020-2030' plan and integrate them into a comprehensive transformation process, showcased on a dedicated website for the city's circular construction initiatives. Find out more about the CCA programmes here: https://lnkd.in/e5e2wExz Apply to participate here: https://lnkd.in/eSbm4HiU 

🌍Exciting news! Circle Economy is leading the development of the innovative Highways Doughnut Toolkit within the Net Zero Roads - Wessex Live Lab in the UK, working closely with Somerset Council, Cornwall Council, and Hampshire County Council. This toolkit will transform the highways sector by applying Doughnut Economics to assess policies and maintenance projects for social and environmental impact. After a year of collaboration with experts and stakeholders, the first version is ready for real-world application! We’re thrilled to announce the toolkit's official launch will be on 6 November: Donut Day 🍩 Want updates on our journey? Subscribe to our newsletter and stay tuned for insights: https://lnkd.in/ePttxBgU #circulareconomy #highwaysdoughnuttoolkit #doughnuteconomics #doughnutday https://lnkd.in/esCu_zms

Curious about how to kick-start your city's circular transition? Look to Bergamo for inspiration! This #UrbanOctober, we're sharing insights from the Circular City Advisory (CCA) pilot programme by The Circular City Centre – C3. Through the programme, Circle Economy’s experts helped guide several European cities through different stages of their circular transition. When Bergamo (Comune di Bergamo) joined the programme, it was just beginning its journey. Over four workshops in six months, city officials and circular economy experts collaborated to build a shared understanding and lay the groundwork for a circular city strategy. Together, they focused on three key sectors—food systems, the built environment, and consumer goods—crafting vision statements and action plans for each. They also identified key stakeholders and mapped out the next steps for implementation. Thanks to strong local commitment, political support and stakeholder engagement, Bergamo emerged from the programme ready to develop its first circular economy strategy! Learn more about the CCA programmes here: https://lnkd.in/e5e2wExz Apply to participate here: https://lnkd.in/eSbm4HiU 

#Ireland has experienced significant growth in recent years. How has this affected its material and carbon footprints? 👉 As a small island nation, Ireland's open, high-income economy relies heavily on imports. 👉 However, the country also extracts a significant amount of materials domestically and exports a large portion of this—particularly biomass.  👉 Ireland’s high material footprint is typical of wealthy nations, which tend to consume more materials than the global average and, as a result, produce more greenhouse gas emissions. 👉 Only 2.7% of materials in the Irish economy come from secondary sources. Ireland has the potential to become a more circular, resource-light and low-carbon economy and has already started its circular transition. Circle Economy’s Circularity Gap Report Ireland, commissioned by the Department of the Environment, Climate and Communications, outlines pathways to achieve more. Explore circular solutions for Ireland in the full report: https://lnkd.in/ek2c5sHg Department of the Environment, Climate and Communications #CircularEconomy #circularity #ClimateWeekNYC

Do we miss something when we talk about #CircularEconomy? The role of workers in the circular economy, particularly informal ones, is often overlooked. A partnership between Ashoka, #IKEASocialEntrepreneurship, the UNDP Accelerator Labs with support from Circle Economy, contributed to bridging this gap by convening vibrant learning circles.  📚 What did the learning circles explore? The learning circles explored the narratives at the intersection of the circular economy and the informal economy, highlighting the roles of various stakeholders, particularly #socialentrepreneurs.  🔎 What are the key findings?  The discussions highlighted four key dilemmas at the intersection of circularity and informality and raised five critical questions for stakeholders to consider in order to deepen their understanding of this complex area. For example, is it always beneficial for workers to formalise their employment?  🔄 What is a learning circle?  Learning circles are generative conversations that involve genuine inquiry and sharing, leading to expanded understanding and shared meaning. Delve into the key findings and discover more insights here: https://lnkd.in/eudQZjHC In your opinion, what are some key narratives around informality in the circular economy that need to be redefined? Share your thoughts with us! #CircularEconomy #JustTransition #InformalWorkers #SocialEntrepreneurship

🤔 How many jobs in your city contribute to the circular economy? The Japanese city of Gamagori now has the answer. Only 611 jobs, or 1.7%, are circular. So, how can the city increase this share? It's crucial to focus on what matters. Currently, most circular jobs are in the services sector, while manufacturing and construction—industries with high impact potential—have low circular job rates. By introducing tax deductions, wage subsidies and other incentives, the city can stimulate circular job creation in these key sectors. Discover more insights in the Gamagori Data  Explorer:https://lnkd.in/ehU_fMx5 Would you like a similar dashboard for your city? Contact us via our website: https://lnkd.in/eGx7SRCP 

🌍♻️ World Circular Textiles Day is here! The textile industry has a huge opportunity to shift towards circularity—but how close are we to closing the loop? While the textile industry has major impacts on the environment and society, its true circularity remains unmeasured. That’s why Circle Economy and the H&M Foundation have teamed up to produce the first-ever Circularity Gap Report Textiles, offering critical insights into the state of circularity in textiles and what actions can drive meaningful change. Join us as we explore the data and solutions that can help make circular fashion a reality. Stay tuned and subscribe for updates! https://lnkd.in/ds92axvE And don’t forget to join the online event for World Circular Textiles Day this evening. Grab your ticket at https://lnkd.in/ePxi96gm #CircularTextiles #CircularEconomy #WorldCircularTextilesDay #SustainableFashion #CircularityGapReport #Textiles