Business case

Impact on the ease of innovation, and facilitating uptake of innovations

Innovation

Reduced green house gas emissions released into the biosphere

Reduce Emissions (SDG13)

Producing transportation equipment for the movement of goods and people by air, rail, sea, and land, including airplanes, spacecraft and military equipment, ships, boats, rail locomotives and rolling stock, motor vehicles, trailers and semi-trailers, and related equipment, as well as repair services for such equipment

Transportation Equipment

Converting fossil fuel based operations to electric

Electrification

Using renewable energy like solar, wind, etc. or renewable fuels like biomass, etc.

Renewable energy, fuels

Working together with industry peers to engage in business activities or exploratory projects that advance the circular economy

Joint industry ventures, projects, pilots

Other

Impacts

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Industries

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The principles of a circular economy concern designing out waste, regenerating ecosystems and keeping items in use. Decoupling the economy from material flows—improving the rate of resource productivity faster than the economic growth rate—is also a consistent guide. By evolving with the growing number of applications of circular economy principles, and consolidating these strategies across thematic areas, Circle Economy’s Key Elements Framework (KE) renders the elements of the circular economy salient and serves as a basis to derive contextual strategies and interventions. 


The Framework consists of:
- Core Elements: Activities directly handling product or material flows; and uniquely,
- Enabling Elements: those that remove obstacles for core actors.


Key elements of the circular economy

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Circle Economy's framework of strategies and activities that define the circular economy

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Based on the work of [Bocken et al. (2016)](https://www.researchgate.net/publication/309699661_Product_design_and_business_model_strategies_for_a_circular_economy), the Four Flows Framework serves as a simple framework for managing resource flows in a circular economy by using less (Narrow), using for longer (Slow), using again (Cycle), and using clean, regenerative materials and energy (Regenerate).

These different principles of circular economy can be applied to our socioeconomic metabolism: we can design stocks like buildings, infrastructure, machinery, and vehicles to be rich resource mines for the future, and design manufactured goods and consumables to be cycled and made regenerative. Furthermore, the focus must also centre on getting more value out of fewer materials. Achieving the aims of a circular economy—minimising material use, regenerating the Earth, and preventing material losses—can be done through these four key strategies mentioned above.

Source: Circle Economy. (2023). *[The circularity gap report 2023](https://www.circularity-gap.world/2023)* (p.22). Amsterdam: Circle Economy. 

Four Flows Framework

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The three automakers, in a statement, said the new alliance sends a clear signal to suppliers, policymakers and the industry to encourage the further development of hydrogen infrastructure worldwide."We believe we were never as close to reaching a breakthrough in fuel-cell cars as today thanks to this partnership," Daimler AG research and development chief Thomas Weber said.The partners are targeting production of at least 100,000 cars, Weber said today at a press conference in Germany. The manufacturers will invest equal amounts in the project to develop fuel-cell stacks and systems, they said in the statement, without giving details.Toyota Motor Corp. and BMW AG announced a partnership on Jan. 24 to develop fuel-cell systems, in addition to cooperation in other areas including light-weight technologies and a common sports-car platform.Fuel cells produce electricity by combining hydrogen and oxygen, evaporating water as emissions when the car is driven. Compared to electric vehicles powered by batteries, fuel-cell cars have a range close to combustion engine vehicles and fueling time is comparable to filling up a gasoline tank.Nissan Motor Co. won't take a stake in the existing joint venture Automotive Fuel Cell Corp. between Daimler and Ford Motor Co. to avoid time-consuming contract negotiations, said Herbert Kohler, Daimler's head of future technology.Joint developments allow the manufacturers to share costs and achieve higher volumes once production starts."We can proceed quicker as we can develop around the clock," Weber said. The project will use the partners' existing development centers in Detroit, Tokyo, Vancouver and Daimler's hometown of Stuttgart, Germany.Each partner will market its own branded vehicles, probably starting with front-wheel-drive models, Weber said."This powertrain is the start of a modular strategy," he said. "It has to be adaptable into several models."The partnership is open to other manufacturers, including Nissan's French global alliance partner, Renault SA, Weber said.

Nissan

Daimler

 Renault 

Ford

  Nissan

<p>Three global automakers, Daimler, Ford and Nissan, have signed an agreement to jointly develop a fuel cell system to power zero-emissions vehicles. Powered by electricity generated from hydrogen and oxygen, FCEVs (Fuel Cell Electric Vehicle) emit only water while driving. The partners plan to develop a common fuel cell stack and fuel cell system that can be used by each company in the launch of differentiated, separately branded vehicles.</p>