Circular Economy in Cities and Regions : Tackling the Challenges and Seizing the Opportunities
EPC - 16 Rue du Trône, 1000 Brussels | 11th of March 2025This event is organized by the European Policy Center‘s (EPC) Sustainable Prosperity for Europe program and supported by the Welsh Government Brussels Office, with involvement from the Holland Circular Hotspot and the Co-Chairman of the European Circular Economy Stakeholder Platform (ECESP). This event will explore the critical role cities and regions play in advancing circular economy initiatives, addressing key challenges, and showcasing innovative solutions. Discussions will highlight how EU policies, including the proposed Circular Economy Act, can empower cities and regions to achieve resource efficiency, decarbonisation, and resilience.
Circular economy can help cut carbon emissions, reduce resource consumption and strengthen economic resilience. However, progress remains limited, with the global circularity rate at just 7.2% and continuing to decline. Each year, over 100 billion tons of resources enter the global economy, yet only 8.6% are recycled and reused. Cities are at the forefront of this challenge, accounting for nearly two-thirds of global energy demand, generating up to 50% of solid waste and contributing to over 70% of greenhouse gas emissions. Despite these figures, cities and regions have tremendous potential to drive the transition towards a circular economy in Europe and beyond.
This Policy Dialogue will take stock of the ongoing transition to a more circular economy, focusing on good practices at a regional and local level and highlighting the opportunities and benefits to economic resilience moving forward. It will also explore how the EU’s policy framework, including the proposed Circular Economy Act, can support these efforts by fostering synergies across different levels of governance and ensuring active engagement from all stakeholders in the transition.
Speakers
- Ana Berdzenishvili — Analyst, Sustainable Prosperity for Europe Programme, EPC
- Aurel Ciobanu-Dordea — Director, Circular Economy, DG Environment, European Commission
- Louise Coffineau — Head of Advocacy, Climate and Environment, Eurocities
- Rhodri Asby — Deputy Director Circular Economy and Resource Efficiency, Welsh Government
- Jordi Pascual Torner — Senior Programme Lead, Circle Economy
Respondents
- Regional Perspective: Freek van Eijk, Director, Holland Circular Hotspot
- Industry perspective: Alexandra de Schonen, Head of EU Affairs, SUEZ
- Civil Society Perspective: Aline Maigret, Head of Policy, Zero Waste Europe
The event will also be hosted on Zoom. Online participants will receive a separate link two days before the event. The registration will be open from 13:50 CET.