Launch of the new World Bank report:
“Squaring the Circle: Policies from Europe’s Circular Economy Transition”
Followed by a panel discussion:
“How can Europe further boost the Circular Economy Transition within and beyond its borders?”
The overlapping geopolitical, economic, and environmental crises currently impacting the world economy highlight the urgency to address surging rates of natural resource consumption. Decoupling of material consumption from welfare creation through a transition away from the prevailing linear “take-make-use-waste’ economy lies at the basis of a new development and growth model.
The European Union (EU) is today a global leader in spearheading the circular economy (CE) transition. The EU can play a key role in promoting resource efficiency within and beyond its borders, share lessons learnt and the opportunities arising from CE transition. Developing countries that are already being impacted by the fallout of the current linear model need to be central to the global transition towards a more circular economy.
A new World Bank report: “Squaring the Circle: Policies from Europe’s Circular Economy Transition” reviews Europe’s experience in spearheading CE policy. It identifies key features in the EU policy landscape that that have been successful in driving the circular transition but also existing barriers to future progress and key measures to overcome them. Despite the progress achieved, squaring the circle of the transition, and breaking away from linear systems will require a far-reaching suite of CE policies.
Jointly organized by the World Bank and CEPS, the event will discuss the key existing constraints and the policy domains where ambitious action will be needed in the coming years to further boost the CE agenda both within and beyond the EU borders.
