The Circular Economy in Cities: resources suite
A suite of resources for urban policymakers and change-makers.
Organisation: United Nations Environment Programme (UN Environment / UNEP)
Focus Area: Leading global environmental authority. Promoting sustainable consumption & production solutions for over 20 years. Engaged in the development of the concepts of resource efficiency & circular economycircular economyA systems solution framework that tackles global challenges like climate change, biodiversity loss, waste, and pollution. It is based on three principles, driven by design: eliminate waste and pollution, circulate products and materials (at their highest value), and regenerate nature..
Under the Global Initiative for Resource Efficient Cities (or GI-REC, a platform of collaboration to implement urban metabolism at the city level), UN Environment has been working on circular economy in cities, anchored on the International Resource Panel (IRP) report “the Weight of Cities” and previous IRP reports. The Initiative has developed and piloted a number of concepts and tools to support cities in their transition to low-carbon, resilient, and resource efficient development and a circular economy:
Using resource flow (urban metabolism or UM) analysis and visualisations (e.g. Sankey diagrams) to help shape policy interventions.
Building local capacity using a mix of digital (e.g. MOOCs) and in-person training to understand and implement UM analysis, often complementing their existing plans.
Support in developing a conceptual framework to monitor a city’s circular economy plan.
Developed a spatial microsimulation urban metabolism tool.
www.resourceefficientcities.org
Ms. Sharon Gil, Coordinator, Global Initiative for Resource Efficient Cities, sharon.gil@un.org
The Ellen MacArthur Foundation works to accelerate the transition to a circular economy. We develop and promote the idea of a circular economy, and work with business, academia, policymakers, and institutions to mobilise systems solutions at scale, globally.
Charity Registration No.: 1130306
OSCR Registration No.: SC043120
Company No.: 6897785
Ellen MacArthur Foundation ANBI RSIN nummer: 8257 45 925
The work of the Ellen MacArthur Foundation is supported by our Strategic Partners and Partners.