This session will explore how cities across the globe can unlock circular economy potential at the local level. It will open with an overview of the recently published Circular Cities Declaration Report 2022, developed by ICLEI Europe with support from the Ellen MacArthur Foundation. The report is the widest ever assessment of circular economy practices across European cities, highlighting key trends and challenges faced by cities in the transition from a linear to a circular economy. Two European cities (Espoo, Finland and Maribor, Slovenia) will provide testimonials on how to implement the circular economy and on how to overcome barriers to implementation, while also highlighting how they harness major co-benefits such as nature conservation, or resilience.

Ellen MacArthur Foundation will then provide a global perspective on the barriers faced and solutions implemented by cities, with testimonies from Cape Town, South Africa and a South American city (TBC). The end of the session will provide space for an open discussion on how to accelerate and scale-up the circular economy at the city level, while also meeting those co-benefits related to biodiversity and nature conservation. The session will be of interest to local authorities, local practitioners, solution providers, policy makers and civil society representatives.

More information about the programme will follow soon. To register, click here. This event is an Accelerator Session at the World Circular EconomyForum 2023.