In the face of resource scarcity and the triple planetary crises of climate change, nature loss, and pollution, there is a growing focus on developing circular and sustainable consumption and production patterns in industries such as textile, agriculture, electronics, and energy. While public policies are incentivizing circular practices and sustainable use of resources, current efforts are not enough to address the urgent and complex global issues we face.
To address this, UNECE has made circular economy a priority and is working on initiatives to support the adoption of best practices and knowledge sharing across different sectors. At the recent World Circular Economy Forum 2024, UNECE showcased its tools for promoting circular economy in four interrelated areas: business model innovation, traceability in global value chains, circular food systems, and its Circular STEP platform for policy dialogue.
One potential business model for accelerating the circular economy transition is the platform economy, which has been successfully implemented by companies like Amazon, Uber, and Airbnb. However, there is still room for these platforms to become more circular and promote sustainable practices. UNECE’s Transformative Innovation Network organized a panel session at the WCEF to discuss industry examples and policy implications of platforms for the circular economy. It was highlighted that in addition to technological advancements, market creation and human behavior are also crucial for promoting circularity.
The textile industry, one of the highest climate impact sectors globally, is another priority sector for circularity. UNECE shared recommendations from its study on second-hand clothing trade flows and presented its Product Circularity Data Standard, which supports the exchange of standardized data for circular business models. Additionally, UNECE’s project with the International Trade Centre, supported by the European Commission, has shown promising results in using advanced technologies like blockchain for traceability and transparency in the sector.
At WCEF 2024, there was also a focus on circularity in the agri-food and biobased materials sectors, as food waste is a major contributor to resource wastage. UNECE and the World Resources Institute organized a session on enabling policies and successful business cases in the agri-food sector, highlighting actions in Rwanda and Serbia. UNECE’s Working Party on Agricultural Quality Standards also developed a Code of Good Practice for reducing food loss and waste in fresh fruit and vegetable value chains.
To facilitate knowledge sharing and cooperation in the circular economy, UNECE has established its Circular Economy Stakeholder Engagement Platform (Circular STEP). At WCEF 2024, a session was held to showcase the importance of stakeholder platforms in accelerating circularity, with speakers sharing experiences from various regional and national platforms. UNECE will continue to promote its practical circular solutions at its Regional Conference on the Circular Economy Transition in 2024.