Final results released today by C40 Co-Chair and Mayor of London Sadiq Khan at London Climate Action Week show a first-of-its-kind analysis of green jobs in our global megacities, demonstrating the positive payoff of investing in climate action at a city level.
The research conducted by C40 and the Circle Economy shows that some of the highest-performing industries include public transport, waste, electricity and construction, where local governments play a key role in supporting regulation, standards, and cooperation with industry. For example, nearly 30% of the jobs in the electricity and transport sectors are currently green, and 25% in the buildings and construction sectors.
The catalyst for this research began in 2022 at the World Mayors Summit in Buenos Aires, when C40 Co-Chair and Mayor of London Sadiq Khan, urged C40 Mayors to drive the creation of 50 million good, green jobs by 2030 across the world’s megacities, in partnership with key stakeholders including all levels of government, business and unions for a just transition – protecting livelihoods whilst maximising economic prosperity.
Following this bold announcement, this global analysis estimates that nearly 16 million jobs already support the transition to a green economy across the 74 cities studied. This includes direct and indirect green jobs in cities across Global North and Global South cities.
For example, in London a Skills Centre designed a Rainscreen Cladding Skills Bootcamp with construction employers to improve energy efficiency and building safety, achieving about 96% job conversion, and has introduced new modules with £11.3 million in funding to support green skills for the city’s net zero goal by 2030.
C40 Co-Chair and Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, said: “I’m proud that we are on our way toward achieving our goal of 50 million good, green jobs by 2030, with 16 million jobs already supporting the transition to a green economy across 74 cities worldwide.
“London continues to lead the way when it comes to climate action and our commitment to green jobs proves that the path to prosperity is also the path to sustainability. Together, we can achieve far more than any of us could alone and I look forward to continuing to inspire and drive us forward to a fairer, greener future for everyone.”
In São Paulo, the city is expected to create at least over 10,000 jobs by dramatically expanding its green space to create a series of protected forests and public parks. By the time it is complete, the total area of public green space will be the size of Paris. Thousands of residents will get access to green spaces for the first time and it will also help to reduce flood risk, a climate impact that has severely affected Brazil recently.
Mayor of São Paulo, Ricardo Nunes, said: “Brazil has been very badly impacted by climate change this year and we know that delaying climate action only means that more people will suffer. We also know that more jobs can be created through climate action than through business as usual, whilst creating healthier and more sustainable cities and economies. That is why São Paulo, through actions such as Sampa + Rural, is promoting thousands of green jobs. This research shows how there are already more than 400,000 direct and indirect green jobs in the city, and we will continue working to increase that number through innovative and ambitious new programmes and policies.”
In Accra, a municipal waste source separation and compost project involves the community and informal waste sector. Over 850 informal waste collectors, including migrants, are engaged in collecting and separating waste. This reduces greenhouse gas emissions by diverting organic waste from landfills and increases waste collection coverage. The Accra Metropolitan Assembly supports cooperatives, implements a social insurance scheme, and offers capacity-building programs to improve the quality of life and jobs for informal waste workers, ensuring a just transition.
Mayor of Accra, Elizabeth Sackey, said: “This global analysis, which shows the social and economic potential of climate action, is very important for cities in the current context. The city of Accra is committed to addressing climate action and creating local jobs together, and ensuring the working conditions of all workers, including informal workers, are improved.
“This is why, as we have been implementing citywide municipal solid waste separation programs in the past years, and are starting to work on the transport transition, we have been working closely with informal waste sector workers (including migrant workers) and initiated consultations with informal transport workers to ensure their jobs are protected and valued. They play a key role in the green economy and in creating healthier communities and should be engaged in the transition.”
In Vancouver, the Vancouver Green City Action Plan called for doubling the number of green and local food jobs, and for doubling the number of businesses greening their operations, both as part of an adopted plan to see Vancouver become the greenest city in the world by 2020. In total, over 15,000 new green and local food jobs were added to the city over the last ten years, an increase of 87% since 2010. Since 2020, the Green City Action Plan continues to engage residents on a broader environmental plan.
Melina Scholefield, Executive Director of the Vancouver Zero Emissions Innovation Centre, said: “The Vancouver region’s collective efforts on climate change over many decades have built an incredible foundation for our burgeoning clean economy to take shape. In particular, our emphasis on building decarbonisation policy and practice means that we not only are building some of the highest efficiency, healthy, and resilient buildings on the continent, cost-effectively, but we are also driving the creation of green jobs in a well-skilled, innovative sector that is pushing to ever-higher heights. It is validating that this new research provides evidence of how this sector is greening globally and locally within the region and the evident potential that exists to go further.”
C40 Executive Director, Mark Watts, said: “Today’s announcement highlights how city climate action benefits people here and now. With 16 million green jobs already created across 74 cities – and many more to come – mayors are creating opportunities for people across diverse sectors, from home insulation and clean transport to parks and river regeneration projects. Cities are leading by showing how city climate action not only cuts emissions and builds resilience, but also makes people better off.”
These results signal multiple things, firstly, that there is enormous potential for these and other key urban programmes to continue to grow, with the right climate investment and support from national and local governments.
Second, there is a clear indication that green investments are boosting demand for materials and inputs, thus increasing jobs in supplier industries. For example, C40 analysis has shown that green and just recovery scenarios could create, on average, three times more jobs than those created through high-carbon scenarios.
But most importantly mayors are on track to deliver good green jobs for their residents. However, there is still a long way to go to ensure that just transition policies and green jobs creation programmes are implemented to help cities fulfil their leadership potential and ensure that all residents benefit from and are included in the climate transition, with the IPCC confirming these are critical for the success of climate action. These new findings show that cities are leading the way in the creation of good green jobs, by joining forces with youth, unions, and businesses and responding directly to the core concerns of urban residents.
Climate action presents an unprecedented opportunity for a more inclusive economy, as sectors with the greatest potential for transformation e.g. construction and manufacturing offer both high rates of job potential to retain existing workforces and are historically unequally distributed across population groups. These actions combined with the growing demand for green jobs to support decent working conditions, the supply of a green and diverse labour force, and ramping up workforce development efforts that address shortages will make opportunities accessible to all.
CEO of Circle Economy, Ivonne Bojoh, said: “Cities are hubs of innovation, jobs and skills and so it has been our long-term mission to provide local decision-makers with data on where best they can take climate action. We are thrilled that our collaboration with the C40 cities has allowed us to apply what we have learned from our longstanding circular jobs methodology to measuring green in 74 cities worldwide.
“These results highlight a high concentration of green jobs in the repair sector across all global regions, showing that jobs sustaining and prolonging the lifetime of goods have a key role in promoting good, decent employment in cities. Although the total number of green jobs is impressive, there is still significant potential to create more, especially in the tertiary sectors of the economy that are crucial for cities, such as accommodation, retail, and transportation. We are happy to have collaborated on a set of resources that show how cities can support the growth of green, decent jobs.”
Download the full report here
Launched on 28 May, 2024, the SOLSTICE project supports sustainable growth in the textile sector by raising customer awareness, enhancing recycling with new sorting methods, ensuring feedstock traceability using the Digital Product Passport, and providing data and guidelines to decision-makers.
Led by Axel’One, an open innovation platform in chemistry-environment in France, the SOLSTICE consortium is EU-wide and covering the whole value chain in textiles and plastics. The project spans 42 months, aiming at advancing climate-neutral and circular economy practices within the textile industry.
The SOLSTICE project is based on a holistic approach that encompasses all stages of waste prevention, guided by a 5R strategy: Reject/Reduce, Reuse, Repair, Reuse and Recycle. These solutions will be tested and refined in demonstrations conducted in 4 European cities and regions: Grenoble (France), Berlin (Germany), Prato (Italy), and Catalonia (Spain).
Partnering with businesses and clusters across the textile value chain are central to the SOLSTICE’s mission. Through these collaborations, SOLSTICE seeks to unlock concrete business opportunities to accelerate the adoption of innovative solutions that align with the circular economy.
As part of a consortium of 24 partners working on the project, Circle Economy will uncover the current state of circularity in textiles ecosystem as well as identify and inform the areas of immediate action, the choice of circular interventions and the design of replicable blueprints.
More information on the SOLSTICE project on its website: www.solstice-project.eu
SOLSTICE is a Horizon Europe project, funded by the European Union. Led by Axel’One, an open innovation platform in chemistry-environment in France, the SOLSTICE consortium is EU-wide and covering the whole value chain in textiles and plastics. The project is started on 1 May 2024 and will last for 42 months. The full list of partners is available here. It receives funding from the European Union’s Horizon Europe research and innovation programme under the grant agreement No. 101134989.
Out of all materials consumed in Montréal’s economy, 3% come from secondary (recycled) sources, according to the Circularity Gap Report Montréal. Significantly decreasing the city’s material footprint will be key to meeting its target of 17% circular by 2050.
This result is primarily driven by high material consumption, typical for high-income economies like Montréal’s. Montréal's economy consumes 27 tonnes of virgin materials per person per year, consisting of metal ores, minerals, fossil fuels, and biomass. Although more than double the global average of 12 tonnes per capita, this amount ranks below Québec’s material use of 32 tonnes per capita and the Canadian average of 36 tonnes per capita.
Because material consumption is strongly linked to carbon emissions, Montréal also has a sizeable carbon footprint—13 tonnes per capita. This includes greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions linked to goods and services sold and used within the city, regardless of where they originate from along the value chain. While lower than the Canadian national average—19 tonnes per capita—Montréal’s GHG emissions exceed the estimated sustainable level of 2.3 tonnes per person per year, a threshold established by the UN Environment Programme and the International Resource Panel needed to support ‘a safe operating space’ on Earth.
The report estimates that about 70% of Montréal’s carbon footprint is generated beyond the city's borders. What’s more, over half of the materials consumed by the local economy are imported from outside of Canada. According to the report, local consumption must be viewed from a global perspective, including environmental impacts in countries and territories where the resources are extracted and processed.
The city administration has set ambitious sustainability targets, aiming to achieve zero waste status by 2030 and carbon neutrality by 2050, as well as boost the use of secondary materials to 17% by 2050. The report points out that hitting these targets without lowering the total material consumption could prove challenging. Recycling alone cannot compensate for the vast amount of waste generated during the lifecycle of products consumed and discarded in the city.
To transition to a circular economy in Montréal, the report’s authors suggest prioritising circular practices in construction and manufacturing, as these sectors combined account for over 60% of the city’s virgin material consumption. Changes in the food system, transport, and residents' habits could also have a significant impact. If improvements are made across all five areas, the city’s material use could be lowered by a remarkable 38%, while the carbon footprint could decrease by 46%. Such impacts would in turn more than double the Circularity Metric, bringing it from 3% to 7%.
The Circularity Gap Report Montréal is the third report in a series dedicated to the province of Québec and the City of Montréal produced by impact organisation Circle Economy. Montréal is the metropolis of the province of Québec, which is one of Canada's ten provinces. The Circularity Gap Report Québec, published in 2021, estimated that the province’s economy was 3.5% circular—a percentage that could be potentially tripled. The report Circular Montréal: Baseline Assessment followed in 2022, pinpointing how sectors and solutions can be best leveraged to bolster circularity in Québec’s largest municipality. These reports have informed public consultations around the development of Montréal’s circular economy roadmap, adopted in May 2024.
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The Circular Cities Declaration (CCD) Report 2024 was launched at the World Circular Economy Forum 2024 in Brussels. The report examines the implementation, measurement, and impact of circular policies in cities that have signed the declaration, committing themselves to the circular transition.
In 2023, signatories of the CCD were asked to report their progress in transitioning to the circular economy. In response, 54 signatories from across Europe—cities with a combined population of 16 million—submitted detailed insights on circular policies and initiatives. Based on these submissions, the implementation and impact of circular economy strategies in urban settings were assessed and summarised.
The CCD Report 2024 underscores a widespread adoption of circular economy strategies among reporting cities, with over 200 measures already in motion. Over half of the CCD signatories have embraced the circular economy as a pivotal instrument in bolstering their nature and biodiversity preservation initiatives. Moreover, cities are increasingly leveraging circular practices to advance climate objectives and build resilience while ensuring a just transition.
The report identifies a challenge in accurately measuring and reporting on the progress of circular initiatives. Despite this, over two-thirds of cities have either developed or are in the process of formulating indicator frameworks to better assess circular impacts. These frameworks include governance, behavioural, material flow, and broader societal and environmental indicators.
Drawing from the findings of the report, six priority actions have emerged to accelerate the circular transition in cities:
Read the full report here.
About the Circular Cities Declaration
The European Circular Cities Declaration is a project funded by the European Union's Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme. The declaration aims to accelerate the transition from a linear to a circular economy in Europe, and thereby create a resource-efficient, low-carbon and socially responsible society. It was developed by a consortium of European stakeholders, including ICLEI Europe, Circle Economy, Circular Flanders, Collaborating Centre on Sustainable Consumption and Production, ECERA, EIT Circular Economy Community, European Committee of the Regions, European Economic and Social Committee, European Investment Bank, Ellen MacArthur Foundation, Eurocities, Metabolic, Metabolism of Cities, ReLondon, RRA Podravje - Maribor, and the UN Environment Programme.
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[Brussels, 15 April 2024] - During the World Circular Economy Forum (WCEF) 2024, Multilateral Development Banks (MDBs) presented their Circular Economy Working Group’s emerging shared vision on the role of MDBs in supporting circular economy.
The shared vision was unveiled at a session titled 'Shaping a global vision for circular finance' which saw Directors from the MDBs emphasise the critical role of MDB support to clients in facilitating the uptake of circular economy approaches. The MDBs recognised that circularity is important to achieving sustainable and just development in the 21st century.
Working together for more circularity, the MDB Working Group will continue to:
About WCEF
The annual World Circular Economy Forum (WCEF) presents the world’s leading circular economy solutions with business leaders, policymakers and experts participating from around the world. Circular economy approaches can help businesses seize new opportunities and gain a competitive advantage, as well as contribute to achieving the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. WCEF2024 is organised by Sitra, the Finnish Innovation Fund, and produced with Circle Economy Foundation (programme partner) and the International Resource Panel (science partner), in close collaboration with international partner organisations.
For media inquiries, please contact:
Amy Kummetha (amy@circle-economy.com)
For content inquiries, please contact:
Marvin Nusseck (marvin@circle-economy.com)
ENGLISH
Amsterdam, 26 March 2024—Circle Economy’s Circularity Games platform now offers an introductory training program for circularity in the built environment as part of the BUS-GoCircular project. BUS-GoCircular, funded by the European Union's Horizon Research and Innovation Programme, addresses the challenges of promoting skilled labour in the field of green energy and aims to offer hands-on training and capacity building to increase the number of skilled workers throughout the value chain.
This online training programme is just one of several training materials, workshops and initiatives that have been developed. The training program is divided into six modules, each encompassing reading materials, interactive video content and educational game features. The modules introduce players to the concept of circularity, its urgency and the possibilities of a circular economy. The training addresses the problems and opportunities for the built environment and the importance of a change in mindset.
The training is designed around the ‘Key elements of the circular cconomy framework’. This framework defines the learning objectives for the practical implementation of circularity in the built environment. While the training serves as an introduction to the circular economy, all key elements are covered, with the primary purpose of the training being to encourage change.
The introductory training on the Circularity Games platform aims to stimulate discussion around applying circular principles within the built environment. The training provides insight into which financial and practical circular applications are valuable. If, after completing the built environment introductory training, there is still more to discover and discuss using the Circularity Games platform, organisations can develop a follow-up specification training program in collaboration with Circle Economy. The focus of this training could be on sector-specific topics or the further discovery of specific key elements and the business models that apply to particularr contexts.
For more information, visit the Circularity Games website and contact Sreeja Raghunathan (sreeja@circle-economy.com) or Alice Lunardelli (alice-l@circle-economy.com)
DUTCH
De Circle Economy Foundation heeft een inleidend trainingsprogramma ontwikkeld beschikbaar op het Circularity Games platform als onderdeel van het BUS-Go Circular project. Dit trainingsprogramma is onderverdeeld in zes modules, die elk lees materiaal, interactieve video-inhoud en educatieve game-functies bevatten. De modules laten je stapsgewijs kennismaken met het concept, de mogelijkheden en de urgentie van een circulaire economie. De training behandelt zowel de problemen en kansen voor de gebouwde omgeving als het belang van een mentaliteitsverandering.
De training is ontworpen rondom de "Key Elements of the Circular Economy Framework". Dit framework is op het BUS-Go Circular afgepast en definieert de leerdoelen voor de praktische implementatie van circulariteit in de gebouwde omgeving. Hoewel de training dient als introductie op de circulaire economie, komen alle Key Elements aan bod. Met als belangrijkste doel van de training: verandering stimuleren.
De Nederlandstalige training heeft als doel de discussie te stimuleren over het toepassen van circulaire principes op de manier van werken binnen de gebouwde omgeving, en geeft inzicht in de waarde van circulaire toepassingen, zowel financieel als praktisch. Mocht je na het volgen van het inleidend trainingsprogramma het gevoel hebben dat er nog meer te ontdekken en te bespreken valt aan de hand van het Circularity Games platform, dan zou jouw organisatie in samenwerking met de Circle Economy Foundation een vervolg specificatie training kunnen ontwikkelen. De nadruk van deze training zou bijvoorbeeld kunnen liggen op sectorspecifieke onderwerpen binnen de gebouwde omgeving, het verder ontdekken van specifieke Key Elements of de businessmodellen die van toepassing zijn binnen de sector.
Voor meer informatie bezoek de circularity games website en neem contact op met Sreeja Raghunathan (sreeja@circle-economy.com) of Alice Lunardelli (alice-l@circle-economy.com)
The World Circular Economy Forum 2024 is hitting Brussels on 15–18 April!
Thousands of experts and decision-makers will come together at the SQUARE convention centre to explore practical and impactful circular solutions. This year, Circle Economy is proud to co-host the forum and co-design its programme based on insights from the Circularity Gap Report 2024! With government representatives, the finance community and labour organisations on our guest list, we’re looking forward to bringing the report’s recommendations to life. Please check our sessions below and register to participate—in person or online.
Up to US$700 billion could be generated by circular textile business models, which address the impacts of discarded textiles on nature and health. However, little is known about the current destinations, uses and impacts of globally traded used clothes. This workshop sheds light on this murky subject, exploring collaborations, policies and real-world examples to make the worn clothes trade more circular.
Date and time: 15 April 2024 at 09:30–10:45 CEST
Organisers: United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and Circle Economy
Learn more and register here
The Circularity Gap Report 2024 detailed tangible solutions to accelerate the global circular transition. Now is the time to act upon its insights! This opening plenary session will feature a critical discussion with global policy and thought leaders. They will define the role of governance, economics and society in building a just, circular future.
Date and time: 15 April 2024 at 11:00–12:00 CEST
Organisers: International Resource Panel, Circle Economy and Sitra, the Finnish Innovation Fund
Learn more and register here
This session will give the stage over to directors of multilateral development banks (MDBs) from different regions to discuss a shared vision for the role of finance in the circular transition. They will convene for a first-ever public talk on circular finance aimed at building a common approach to the circular economy.
Date and time: 15 April 2024 at 13:30–14:30 CEST
Organisers: Circle Economy, Circularity Exchange Network (Asian Development Bank, African Development Bank, European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, European Investment Bank, Inter-American Development Bank, World Bank), UNEP Finance Initiative and Invest-NL
Learn more and register here
In this session, you will hear from people putting the circular economy into action: entrepreneurs, policymakers, trade union leaders and business people. They will share inspirational insights on what is needed to unleash the potential of a people-centred, jobs-rich circular economy.
Date and time: 15 April 2024 at 13:30–14:30 CEST
Organisers: International Labour Organisation and Circle Economy, with the Solutions for Youth Employment Programme of the World Bank
Learn more and register here
Circular economy approaches can support peacebuilding, community resilience and dialogue. However, shifting to less extractive and less interdependent economic systems might also stir geopolitical tension. This session will analyse the risks and opportunities of the circular economy for international relations and peacebuilding.
Date and time: 16 April 2024 at 09:00–10:00 CEST
Organisers: Circle Economy and International Resource Panel, with Carnegie Europe
Learn more and register here
Urban planning is a key lever for the circular transition in cities. However, a common understanding of circularity in urban planning is still lacking. This session explores how cities can go from high-level policy to implementation to steer their circular development.
Date and time: 16 April 2024 at 10:45–11:45 CEST
Organisers: ICLEI Europe and Circle Economy
Learn more and register here
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In celebration of Circle Economy Foundation’s 13th birthday, we are thrilled to introduce you to our new CEO, Ivonne Bojoh. With a background in digital technology and professional services, Ivonne brings a unique perspective to the forefront of our mission. In this interview, Ivonne shares her vision for the future, her passion for the circular economy, and the transformative impact she envisions for Circle Economy Foundation.
As a former start-up and scale-up professional, Ivonne Bojoh was always fascinated by cutting-edge technology. However, as she progressed in her career, she became increasingly aware that technology and economic growth can also have detrimental effects on nature and humanity
‘This happened when I went on a weekend trip with my husband in 2019,’ Ivonne recalls. ‘With ample time for introspection, I contemplated what truly energises me and aligns with my heart's desires. It became apparent that I wanted to do something on a global scale to address the societal and environmental challenges that I had observed in Southeast Asia, where I lived at the time.’
After this pivotal moment, Ivonne stepped down as a co-founder and CTO and came to the Netherlands in pursuit of her next opportunity. It was during this phase that she crossed paths with Martijn Lopes Cardozo, the previous CEO of Circle Economy Foundation.
‘When Martijn introduced the concept of the circular economy to me, I didn’t immediately grasp its meaning,’ confesses Ivonne. ‘But then he illustrated it with an example from nature, where waste essentially doesn’t exist. I thought: “This is so simple, anyone can understand this! Anyone can see how a dead tree serves as a home for small animals, or that elephant dung is an incredibly energy-rich fertiliser. It’s a beautiful system. Why isn’t everyone living in this system?” This is when my admiration for the circular economy started.’
Given Ivonne’s extensive experience in digital scale-ups, it came as no surprise that Martijn Lopes Cardozo invited her to develop a digital strategy to accelerate Circle Economy Foundation’s impact, and later to join the organisation as Director of Digital. In 2021, she also became interim COO, and in December 2023 succeeded Lopes Cardozo as Circle Economy Foundation’s CEO.
Reflecting on her new role as CEO, Ivonne points out: ‘Circle Economy Foundation has grown quite quickly in the past couple of years. What we need right now is to refine our internal structure and operations, ensuring we sustain the momentum needed to accelerate the global circular transition. At the same time, I see a tremendous opportunity for extending the foundation’s impact beyond the Global North. My roots are in Indonesia, so I have an intrinsic motivation to bring our work to Southeast Asia and the Pacific region. In addition, there are a lot of opportunities for us to support the circular transition in the Middle East, Africa and Latin America.’
Prior to assuming the position of CEO, Ivonne played an important role in developing the foundation’s new impact strategy. According to her, while its core vision remains unchanged—building an economic system that ensures the planet and all people can thrive—the organisation's role in this systemic transformation has become better defined. Over the next eight years, it will deliver on three specific goals for the four priority systems (housing, nutrition, manufactured goods, and mobility):
‘I believe that laser focus is far more effective than trying to be everything to everyone. There are far more objectives that are needed in this global transformation, but these are the three objectives we feel we can contribute to best,’ says Ivonne.
While doubling global circularity to around 17% by 2032 may appear a daunting task, Ivonne remains optimistic in light of the growing awareness of the adverse impacts of the linear economy: ‘If humans were made without the gene that causes greed, our jobs would be easier. Unfortunately, we are who we are. During the era of industrialisation, our unchecked greed took centre stage, and we kept on producing more, thinking that more is better. We’ve unknowingly gotten stuck in a finite system—we can’t continue like this forever. But the good news is that, increasingly, policymakers and industry leaders are aware that this system is tremendously flawed. The question is “Do you know and act or do you know and look away?”’
Amidst the complexities of her role, Ivonne finds solace in the proximity of a protected dune area, with 3400 hectares, the Amsterdam Waterleidingduinen are one of the largest connected hiking areas in the Netherlands. Describing her experience, she states, ‘Being able to just take a walk in nature and hear birds, see animals… it really calms me.’ For her, the ability to connect with nature fosters creativity, allowing her to recharge and approach the foundation's mission with renewed energy.
