Vitoria-Gasteiz, Spain
Capital of the Basque Country, a region located in northern Spain. A compact city with an industrial character, whose development and imprint are linked to sustainability. Vitoria - Gasteiz, Green Capital in 2012, committed itself to the promotion of green infrastructures, nature-based solutions and the conservation of biodiversity. It is part of the group of 100 cities chosen for the European Smart and Climate Neutral Cities Mission. The transition to an economy that integrates the finite nature of resources is a fundamental axis for moving towards climate neutrality.
Systematic Challenge
Vitoria- Gasteiz understands the circular economy as an instrument to decouple economic and social welfare from resource use and the generation of environmental impacts. To address the systemic challenge that this transition entails, the City Council has drawn up a Strategy and Action Plan for the promotion of the Circular Economy. The city has defined five strategic goals for 2030: reducing raw materials consumption of the system and the rate of waste generation, and increasing the well-being of citizens, material productivity and the rate of use of circular materials. To achieve these objectives, a first action plan with 25 actions and 70 sub-actions has been defined.
Collaboration and Cooperation - Circular Initiatives
Vitoria-Gasteiz knows that it cannot tackle this challenge alone. As a result of collaboration, projects such as “Birgurpil” and “Konpondu” have been possible. Since 2021, a municipal interdepartmental group, the Circular Economy Panel, has collaborated with national and international experts and local economic agents to draw up the Strategy and Action Plan. The city actively seeks networking and synergies with other cities by participating with ICLEI, the Circle Economy Foundation and the Ellen MacArthur Foundation.