Resources & Publications

Almaty in Kazakhstan is the first city in Central Asia to identify circular economy opportunities. The city commissioned an international consortium — Shifting Paradigms, Circle Economy, Centre for Sustainable Production and Consumption (CSPC), FABRICations and Emerging Markets Sustainability Dialogues (EMSD) — to map resource consumption. The analysis produced new cross-sectoral circular economy strategies to achieve the city’s sustainable development ambitions. This resource metabolism scan comes as Almaty achieves impressive economic growth, re-establishing its position as an exporter of agricultural commodities. An important station on the Belt and Road Initiative, China’s development plan to improve trans-continental cooperation, Almaty sees connectivity with Asia, Europe and other regions as key to growing international trade. At the same time, the government is opening new channels for public participation in urban planning decisions, to meet the needs of its citizens.

Circle Economy has announced an updated participation offer for brands and retailers who wish to join the Cotton Recycling Pilot, a 12-14 month project designed to address barriers to the use of post-consumer recycled cotton and increase supply chain experience with circular textiles. Circle Economy and Recover will bring together supply and demand to establish a mutual understanding of the capabilities and limitations of post-consumer recycled cotton. This update expects to enable brands and retailers to meet their post-consumer recycling commitments and bring circular textiles one step closer. 

Two new knowledge partners are joining the project. WRAP, the UK Waste and Resources Action Programme, works extensively towards catalysing change across sectors with a strong focus on resource efficiency and addressing the economic viability of solutions for the circular economy. As leader of the Sustainable Clothing Action Plan, WRAP expects to be a key partner in this project. KPMG Advisory S.p.a., the Italian branch of the global advisory group, will contribute their experience and expertise in delivering professional business services to support the growth of companies and markets, focused on innovation as a key pillar of the work they support. 

Through this partnership, WRAP and KPMG Advisory S.p.a. (Italy) will join Textile Exchange and Reblend to support the work of the Cotton Recycling Pilot and share data and insights from past projects and ongoing work. The project is additionally supported by the Dutch Ministry of Infrastructure and Water Management. By combining knowledge and working together, industry uptake of recycled post-consumer textiles can be accelerated without reinventing the wheel.  

Applications for brands and retailers to join the project will close on 30 September, so contact us now to work together and make a lasting impact in our industry!

Learn more about the project and get in touch here: 

Cotton Recycling Pilot

Austria is first nation to measure Circularity Gap

Amsterdam, June 19th 2019 - Circle Economy and Alstoff Recycling Austria (ARA) today announce the release of Circularity Gap Report Austria, the first measure of circularity for a nation state. This landmark report paves the way for nations to lead the transition from a linear economy of Take-Make-Waste to a circular economy.

The analysis, commissioned by ARA, found a circularity rate for Austria of 9.7%, ahead of the  figure of 9.1% in Circle Economy’s Global Circularity Gap report published in January 2019. The Austria report will enable political and business leaders to identify and monitor the best interventions to boost the circularity rate, the proportion of materials that are recycled, re-used and re-manufactured in the Austrian economy.

Closing Austria’s circularity gap

The report estimates the improvements to be gained from four courses of action:

1. Shifting from fossil fuels to renewable resources (boosting circularity to 9.9%)
2. Recycling of all recyclable waste (18.8%)
3. Maintaining current buildings and infrastructure by sourcing all construction materials from demolition of old building stocks (11.6%)
4. Prioritising imports with a higher proportion of secondary content (20.1%).

Combined, these four actions can boost Austria’s circularity rate to an estimated 37.4%.

From global to national scans

Nation states can play a pivotal role in the global transition to a circular economy. Setting comprehensive national policies can drive global action, setting a benchmark for collaboration at multilateral level. The Paris Climate Agreement of 2015 is testimony to the influence of national governments in setting an agenda for the United Nations.

Austria leads the way

Austria ranks as one of the global frontrunners in recycling. After four decades of policy interventions, 58% of all municipal waste is recycled. The Circularity Gap Austria identifies opportunities to radically reduce inputs of primary materials, including waste and emissions. This study, commissioned by ARA, demonstrates Austria’s determination to unlock new business opportunities as a frontrunner in the circular economy.

Hybrid methodology

Applying the methodology of the Global Circularity Gap Report to a national context, Circle Economy has focused on two parallel methodologies: a production-based analysis and a consumption-based analysis.

The production-based methodology tracks materials that are produced within a closed system. This analysis is comprehensive at a global scale, when the planet is in effect a closed system. When applied to a nation state, however, the production-based analysis will not include the full material footprint of imported goods.

The consumption-based methodology adapted from Circle Economy’s Global Circularity Gap Report tracks products across the entire supply chain. This analysis tracks material footprints across the globe, to measure the total material cost behind domestic consumption.

A landmark for national policy

The Circularity Gap Report Austria is the first of its kind. Its outcomes therefore have relevance beyond providing an agenda for Austria. As a contribution to the discourse on the measurement of circularity at national level, the report sets a precedent for other nations to steer effective collaboration in the realisation of a circular economy.

Endorsements

"Austria is taking a pioneering role in the transition to the circular economy. This Circularity Gap Report - Austria shows how Austria is performing as a country in comparison to the global average of 9,1%. In this epoch of climate breakdown, with profound societal and economic challenges, our vision of a circular economy is an inclusive, sustainable and future-proof model for development. We have done this work with hundreds of businesses and dozens of cities around the world. With this report commissioned by ARA, Austria becomes the first country to bring national perspective to this global debate. Austria has developed a strong social partnership over the years, with a strong record in recycling. We hope that all stakeholders - policymakers, industry, academia and civil society - will  build on the great ideas put forward in this report, and jointly map a path to faster and scalable action." -- Harald Friedl, CEO, Circle Economy

"Turning from the global to national level with Austria, we used a hybrid methodology bringing a greater focus on consumption to our assessment. Looking simply at production, we can track only what is produced in a system or enters as a finished product. Fine for the globe, but when focusing on a nation, such a model cannot account for materials used in production outside the state, the full material footprint of a product. By tracking products across the entire supply chain, even when their footprints criss cross the globe, we can measure the total material cost behind domestic consumption." -- Marc de Wit, lead strategic partnerships and consulting, Circle Economy

To download the report: https://circle-economy.com/circularity-gap-report-austria

Media enquiries

For further information and to arrange interviews with the report’s authors, please contact Mark Ashurst at press@circle-economy.

About Circle Economy

Circle Economy works with cities and businesses to accelerate the transition to a circular economy and to close the Circularity Gap. An impact organisation, we identify opportunities to turn circular economy principles into practical reality.

Our work combines practical insights with scalable responses to achieve our vision of economic prosperity and societal balance within planetary boundaries. Our mission is to connect and empower a global community in business, cities and governments to create the conditions for systemic transformation.

Amsterdam, 6 June 2019

The first Circle City Scan in the Czech Republic provides a visual roadmap to kick-start Prague’s circular transition.

[cta link="http://www.circle-economy.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/Prague-Final-Report-20190406_MR.pdf"]Download the report[/cta]

Today, 6 June 2019, Circle Economy and INCIEN launch Circular Prague, a visual roadmap that identifies the strategies that are best positioned to kick-start the Czech capital’s transition towards a circular economy. The collaborative Circle City Scan process has highlighted the potential to promote circular lifestyles in ReUse Hubs, using public procurement, boost the construction through circular procurement, and utilise the city’s food waste as biomethane to power the city’s waste collection fleet. To capitalise on the growing circular momentum, the report provides tangible steps to take these projects from concept to reality, and kick-start Prague’s circular transition.

Prague's households, construction sector, and waste management system are best positioned to kick-start circularity

The Circular Prague report marks the culmination of a Prague’s Circle City Scan; a 12-month collaborative innovation process involving local government, research organisations and businesses. The ‘Scan’ process analyses both the economic and political landscape of the city, as well as uncovers the resource ‘metabolism’ of the city, in order to identify areas of the city with the greatest impact, benefits and momentum to kick-start the circular transition. Contributing a combined CRK 165 billion to the local economy, the city construction and waste management sectors present great opportunities to close the city’s material loops. While Prague’s households, and their generation of 430,000 tonnes of waste each year, are key to create a healthy, sustainable and vibrant city.

"Thanks to the Circular City Scan Prague, we got really inspired. There is a huge opportunity for Prague to make more efficient use of its resources, reduce its climate impact, and at the same time, boost innovation and create new jobs through the innovative circular solutions identified through the Circular Prague project. Now is the time to get these pilot projects off the ground.”

• Petr Hlubuček, Vice-mayor of Prague for the Environment and Safety

Prague can power its entire waste management fleet on 93,500 tonnes of biowastes

To secure the benefits of a circular economy, the promising opportunities for a circular Prague were developed into practical and scalable circular strategies. For example, biodegradable and food wastes present huge and, as of yet, untapped potential for the city. Developing a biogas plant within Prague could transform the 93,500 tonnes of biodegradable waste that is generated in the city each year could produce almost 7 million m3 of renewable biofuels - enough to power the entire waste management fleet (and still have 40% left over!). Recognising this enormous opportunity, the city of Prague has already taken proactive steps towards making this circular project a reality.

UTILISING BIOMASS AS BIOMETHANE

"This project and study helped us to better understand Prague's material and waste flows. As a result of the process, we have several great pilots projects ideas which we are currently looking to implement. Soon maybe our entire fleet will be running on biofuel from waste."

• Patrik Roman, CEO Pražské Služby a.s.

To bring Prague’s circular transition from conceptualisation towards implementation, the Circular Prague report presents a detailed action plan for each of the circular strategies that were pinpointed. Each action plan emphasises a collaborative and integrated approach to ensure the circular transition.

Along with the a plant to transform biomass to biomethane, two other circular strategies were developed:

• ReUse Hubs: The decentralised network of circular ‘Hubs’ throughout the city can focus circular activities to circulate value in the 430,000 tonnes of waste that Prague’s household produces each year, as well as inspire and support circular lifestyles.
• Circular procurement in construction: With public sector influencing almost a quarter of construction activities in the city, incorporating circularity within the procurement practices help to close the loop on the sector’s staggering 13 million tonnes of materials and 116,000 tonnes of CO2, while boosting innovation and competitiveness.

From a post-industrial city to an innovative circular hotspot

Over the past decades, Prague has been rapidly reinvented itself as a high-tech, trade and service-oriented economy. Now, the city is recognising the power of the circular economy to boost innovation, competitiveness and create a healthy and sustainable urban environment. Adopting circular strategies can allow companies to create new value out of resources once considered waste, helping to ‘close-the-loop’. These new economic opportunities can boost employment, value-added, and innovation throughout Prague’s vibrant industries.

“Circular Scan Prague is at its end, but the journey of Prague towards the circular economy has just begun. Thanks to an incredible collaboration with our partners from Circle Economy we have managed to create an unseen momentum within the city's departments, highest political levels, as well as local businesses. Everyone is now on board, and ready to start implementing several circular pilots, we have identified. I hope more Czech and Slovakian cities and regions will follow this journey soon enough. It is time we get serious about the change we need to see around ourselves.”

• Vojtěch Vosecký, Co-founder & Chief Business Officer, INCIEN

Moving from inspiration to implementation

The circular strategies identified and developed through Prague’s Circle City Scan present a clear way forward for the city. Now it is important for the city and its stakeholders to build upon the momentum and energy that has been created in the circular around circularity. Continued collaboration between the city, businesses, and citizens is crucial to ensure the implementation of these pilot projects, and further propel the transition towards a circular economy.

[cta link="http://www.circle-economy.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/Prague-Final-Report-20190406_MR.pdf"]Download the Circular Prague report[/cta]

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

For further information please contact:

Circle Economy - Annerieke Douma - Director for Cities and Regions - annerieke@circle-economy.com
INCIEN - Vojtěch Vosecký - Chief Business Officer - vojtech@incien.org

This paper features a meta-analysis of the empirical literature on the net employment effects of renewable energy. It finds that the reported conclusions on net employment effects are to a large extent driven by the methodology that is applied, and that policy reports have a greater tendency to report a positive net employment effect than academic studies.

Today, 6 June 2019, Circle Economy and INCIEN launch Circular Prague, a visual roadmap that identifies the strategies that are best positioned to kick-start the Czech capital’s transition towards a circular economy. The collaborative Circle City Scan process has highlighted the potential to promote circular lifestyles in ReUse Hubs, using public procurement, boost the construction through circular procurement, and utilise the city’s food waste as biomethane to power the city’s waste collection fleet. To capitalise on the growing circular momentum, the report provides tangible steps to take these projects from concept to reality, and kick-start Prague’s circular transition.

The city of Amsterdam wants to be a regenerative and inclusive city for all citizens while respecting the whole planet. But how to realise the radical and ambitious vision to make such a thriving city? That’s the question that the City of Amsterdam, Kate Raworth and Circle Economy have started to answer at We Make The City, a showcase for urban innovation held in Amsterdam on June 19.

Today, Circle Economy is proud to announce the first successful circularity scan of a nation state, our Circularity Gap Report Austria. Since no previous attempts have been made to measure the level of circularity within a nation state, this landmark report paves the way for state-led collaboration towards circularity. The document identifies for the Austrian political and business community the best interventions to improve circularity and how to monitor their implementation and impact.