· Circular & Regenerative Economy News around the Globe ·
This monthly selection of articles has been brought to you by the Circulab Community – a network of 100+ circular economy experts spread across 22+ territories.
Global News and Trends
Ellen MacArthur Foundation – Tackling biodiversity loss with a circular economy: the role of businesses (Video)
The foundation examines the vital role of businesses in implementing and scaling circular economy solutions to tackle biodiversity loss and provides examples of businesses leading the way.
DowntoEarth – Rethink sand use, move to circular economy: UNEP
The report released by UNEP’s Global Resource Information Database-Geneva team on April 26, 2022 provides guidance gathered from world experts to switch to improved practices for the sand extraction and management of soil.
Forbes – Designing a circular business strategy that works
Luk Van Wassenhove of INSEAD sums up his study on a company’s development of a circular business model and practical insights into the barriers faced by the companies looking to arrive at an economically viable and sustainable circular business model.
Circular Online – 60% of consumers would switch to a rival tech brand if goods were produced sustainably, RSC research shows
A Royal Society of Chemistry survey shows 60% of consumers would switch to a rival tech brand over environmental concerns; 73% of people worldwide also believe governments should take urgent action to tackle e-waste.
Consultancy.UK – Kearney: Patagonia the world’s most circular fashion retail brand
A report by Kearney evaluates the world’s top fashion brands according to their circularity. With a median score of 1.6 out of 10 only a few of the 150 brands across 20 countries showed credible efforts to reduce their environmental impact.
Europe, Middle East and Africa
Euractiv – No green and digital transition without raw materials, EU warns
Europe’s transition to a sustainable and digital society is only possible with a strategic approach to the raw materials needed to manufacture chips, electric vehicles and renewable energy technologies, according to the EU’s internal market Commissioner Thierry Breton.
Lexology – Circular economy: new EU and UK measures
The law firm Cooley explores the European Commission’s ‘Circular Economy Package‘, which forms part of a broader wave of legislative reform connected to Europe’s transition to a green economy.
The Conversation – The Circular Economy, a perpetually evolving concept (in French)
Neoma Business School scholars explore various definitions of the circular economy and related concepts.
Novethic – Jancovici, Cyrulnik, Meda, Dion,… 17 public personalities call on the future French government to follow a training on ecology (in French)
The future government is called to follow a 20h course on ecological challenges so that their decisions take into account scientific facts about climate change and loss of biodiversity. The idea is to replicate the learning process that worked for the Citizens’ Convention on Climate.
Forbes Africa – A Waste of Time: When Will The Circular Economy Come Around?
Forbes provides a comprehensive outlook on waste management and circular economy status on the African continent.
North America
NIST – Your Clothes Can Have an Afterlife
Only about 15% of used clothes and other textiles in the United States get reused or recycled. The other 85% head straight to the landfill or incinerator. This wastes scarce resources, contributes to climate change and pollutes waterways. In a new report from the US National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), Facilitating a Circular Economy for Textiles, scientists recommend strategies to address this problem.
The Conversation – Wet agriculture could protect peatlands and climate, but remains largely unexplored
HEC Montréal shares the learning from their research on wet farming and the role of peatlands in climate change.
Yahoo News – Minnesota-based Initiative Launches Circular Economy for Flexible Films
This new initiative will expand film recycling infrastructure and the supply of recycled resin for use in new products, reducing greenhouse gas emissions and curtailing waste.
Latin America
UpStream – Colombia launches Latin America’s first green taxonomy
A green taxonomy is a classification tool to allow investors to understand how economic activities contribute to environmental targets.
SAP – Sustainability study in Latin American businesses (in Spanish)
A study sponsored by SAP that was carried out among more than 400 companies in the region.
Asia Pacific
AFP – India to reopen abandoned coal mines as heatwave hits supply
Despite a commitment to increase its renewable energy capacity to 175 gigawatts by 2022 and 500 gigawatts by 2030, India’s coal minister Pralhad Joshi said coal needs are set to double by 2040.
Smart Cities World – Wellington lays groundwork for circular economy road work trial
The council-led project is using the untapped resource of unwanted clothing and textiles as a performance additive in asphalt on the New Zealand city’s roads.
