Recipes for circular futures - pitching, sparring and learning from national circular economy strategies – a WCEF2023 Accelerator Session

Is your country developing and implementing a national circular economy strategy? Come and join us to learn, discuss and get inspired by success stories and things to avoid from the makers of German, Finnish and Netherlands strategies. The OECD will also highlight lessons learned from its experience in developing key ingredients for the national strategies in the Czech Republic, Hungary and Slovakia. In addition, European Environment Agency (EEA) provides an overlook on the European circular economy strategies, and UNEP will wrap up the event.

Time: 1st June, 8:30 – 11:45 (UTC+3)
Place: Ministry of Finance, conference room “Paja” (Mariankatu 9, Helsinki) & online stream for presentations

Please register here (Lyyti.fi)

Link to online streaming of the session (YouTube)

Agenda (stream: 9.00 – 10.10):

8:30 Coffee & networking 

9:00 Welcome to the event & warm-up 

9:05 The role of national circular economy strategies in speeding up transition, overview by EEA

9:15 Pitches from Germany, Netherlands, OECD and Finland in PechaKucha style; questions from the audience

10:10 Coffee & networking  

10:40 World café discussions: 6 tables with the following themes 

1. Engagement process with stakeholders: with whom and how?
2. Best practices & innovation opportunities 
3. Economic incentives & procurement
4. Behaviour change: how to enable and support change at individual level
5. Open mic – additional pitches from participants & discussion
6. Protecting the climate via circular economy approaches – the climate-resources nexus

11:15 Best recipes from each table

11:35 Wrap up by UNEP 

11:45 Thank you

Session description

This is a unique opportunity to get your recipe book ready for creating a national circular economy strategy! The session provides a great and informal platform to exchange ideas and collaborate with new and familiar colleagues around the world. Each country (Germany, Netherlands, Belgium and Finland) pitches their own circular economy strategy through a PechaKucha storytelling style, and you’ll get to learn about their entire journey so far: process, key actions, who are involved, what has been success (and what not), what is still missing and what kind of country the strategy aims to create for young generations?  

After the pitches we will have world café style discussions where you have a chance to reflect your own plans and test your ideas, get support and advice from the presenters and other participants. After the event you are well equipped to take your plans forward! 

Our aim is also to collect these recipes and share them to support CE transition work conducted by the EU Commission, national ministries and public organisations around the globe. 

Main target audience are those working on circular economy in public sector, but anyone interested in the topic is welcome to join us!

This event is an Accelerator Session at the World Circular Economy Forum 2023 (www.WCEF2023.com).