Business case

Impact on the availability of resources as well as their effect on living organisms, ecosystems, and components of the environment.

Ecological Impact

Impacts on the social fabric of the community and well-being of the individuals and families.

Social Impact

Impacts on the financial condition of a company, as well as the the economicconditions of its stakeholders and on economic systems at local, national, andglobal levels.

Economic Impact

Impact on the health and happiness of human populations

Well-being

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 transporation equipment and providing services for thetransportation of goods and people

Transportation and Logistics

Providing air, water, rail, and land transportation for passengers, such as airlines, airports, ferries, cruise-ships, tour boat operators, marine ports, railways, train stations, tour bus operators, vehicle rental, and taxi companies, travel agencies and related services

Passenger Transport Services

Ensure renewable, reusable, non-toxic resources are utilised as materials and energy in an efficient way

Prioritise regenerative resources

Replace energy sources with less impactful alternatives and enact energy efficiency measures

Regenerative energy

Converting fossil fuel based operations to electric

Electrification

'Manage' influences the use and function of physical and material elements within the urban environment. 

Manage

Infrastructure

Develop infrastructure to support sustainable lifestyles

Grow countries globally account for 55% of all raw material extraction and 52% of the material footprint, while housing around 37% of the global population.

These are larger Southeast Asian countries and countries in Latin America and Northern Africa, as well as those with an economy in transition in Eastern Europe, the Caucasus, and Central Asia.

Examples include :
- China
- Indonesia
- Brazil
- Mexico
- Vietnam
- Myanmar
- Egypt, ...

Large contribution to the overshoot of planetary boundaries—largely due to the consumptions of local materials in higher-
income (Shift) countries: these countries contribute 50% of climate change, 62% of nitrogen, 60% of phosphorus, 53% of freshwater use and 42% of land use change.

To find out what country profile your country belongs to, explore [this interactive story](https://circularity-gap.world) and search for your country on the final map.

Grow

A considerable resource footprint is taken up by our need for mobility. In particular, two resource types are used: the materials to build transport technologies and vehicles like cars, trains and airplanes; plus, predominantly, the fossil fuels burned to power them.



Mobility

- Recycle vehicles at end-of-use
- Use recycled metal and plastics for vehicles

Saving: 1.50 Gt emissions and 3.33 Gt material use

🚗  Circular vehicles

- Vehicle lightweighting (reduced demand for metal input into the vehicle manufacturing industry
- Increased fuel efficiency
- Autonomous driving (safer driving requires less need for crash-resistant cars)
- Use smaller cars

Saving: 1.22 Gt emissions and 1.24 Gt material use

🚗 Vehicle design improvements

Regenerate strategies phase out hazardous or toxic materials and processes and substitute them with regenerative biomass resources. A circular economy aims to mimic natural cycles—by shifting to more regenerative farming practices, for example—while also maximising the share of circular biomass that enters the economy. Regeneration can happen both at the systems level (by designing regenerative processes) as well as at the product level (by switching synthetic to organic fertilisers, for example).

Regenerate

Impacts

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Industries

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A framework of policy instruments that enabled and encourage the transition to the circular economy

Policy Instruments

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A framework of policy instruments that enable and stimulate the transition to the circular economy

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

Whilst no two countries are the same, there are still obvious similarities between some of them, with discernible development patterns and parallels in evidence. Common problems and shared solutions help place unique country identities and individual issues in context.

Whilst this classification is far from clear-cut and exhibits some overlap, it does underline how the discourse on transitioning to a circular economy needs to account for both differences and commonalities, if we are to arrive at a more strategic and instructive analysis. It also allows to highlight a set of key themes that are likely to be central to the countries that fall under the respective profiles. 

Country profiles (Build, Grow, Shift)

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A framework to distinguish between different country profiles and their circular transition needs.

The framework consists of 21 complementary interventions, across six scenarios - one for each of the six societal needs we model. These interventions can mitigate climate impact by curbing GHG emissions

Note: interventions are currently focused on:
- 🏠 Housing 
- 🍎 Nutrition
- 🚗 Mobility
- 👚📺 Consumables
- 👩‍⚕️👨‍⚕️ Healthcare
-  🔊 Communication

These 21 interventions are spread across six societal needs and wants, with a set of solutions. Within these solutions are strategies on ’how to get there'.  

The framework moves beyond incremental action and provides solutions that will require behavioral change (dietary shifts towards less meat consumption, for example) and the adoption of state-of-the-art technologies in the industry to mitigate emissions in hard-to-abate sectors (such as steel manufacturing). It illustrates how continued globalisation can benefit from the uptake of digital solutions. The combined interventions showcase the mitigation potential that begins where the current country pledges end; illustrating the additional impact our interventions can bring to the NDCs. In short, the interventions provide input for a more profound fundamental transformation than the more current pathways that make up the vast majority of NDCs. 

Together, the combined interventions can almost double the current global Circularity Metric of 8.6%, bringing it to 17%. 

This results in:
• Shrinking global material use and extraction by 28%. 
• Cutting global GHG emissions by 39%—fully closing the Emissions Gap as defined in our report and taking into account the updated NDCs.
• Allowing the world to achieve the Paris Agreement’s goal of keeping at 1.5-degrees of warming by 2032.

*This framework was developed in the Circularity Gap Report 2021. Read more about it [here](https://www.circle-economy.com/resources/circularity-gap-report-2021)*






Global Circularity Gap Report

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An intervention-based framework for nations and stakeholders working towards circular countries

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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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 Microfactories - Local Production    Our business is to supply kits and knowhow to locally owned and managed microfactories where bikes and upcoming vehicles are build. We franchise these low
entry point enterprises. Our transport products are made locally,
made for local use and the microfactories
are locally owned. Maintanance and customization can be performed by the knowlegeable microfactory staff.  Our first microfactory was setup in 2018 in Sharpeville, Gauteng, South Africa. The project was supported by the German BMU (Federal Ministry for Environment, Nature Conservation and Nuclear Safety).   
  

   Press release | Social Entrepreneurship | 8. July 2020    Electromobility is being discussed worldwide as the technology of the future. Sub-Saharan Africa can be a pioneer in leapfrogging into a climate-friendly mobility future. © Siemens Stiftung    A growing population, rampant urbanization, and insufficient connections within rural areas create major, daily challenges for Africa’s people and transport sector. At the same time, climatic conditions there represent an exceptional chance for a direct transition into a climate-friendly mobility future. Today’s publication of Siemens Stiftung’s new booklet, “E-Mobility Solutions for Rural Sub-Saharan Africa: Leveraging Economic, Social and Environmental Change,” provides an in-depth look at the electromobility sector in Sub-Saharan Africa.
Siemens Stiftung collaborates closely with African start-ups and social enterprises that work on custom solutions for leapfrogging to a sustainable mobility sector: converting conventional cargo motorcycles into electric motorcycles, local assembly of electric cargo bikes, or transitioning from gasoline-powered to electric-powered fishing boats are just some examples of this local innovation boom.
The now published booklet introduces currently available technologies and related business models being implemented by local companies. The booklet provides a snapshot of the current range of regional challenges and opportunities and is supplemented by reliable data and expert interviews.
Engagement focused on rural regions
Siemens Stiftung’s efforts are focused on the feasibility of electromobility for small businesses, trade, and agriculture in rural Africa. “Achieving the Agenda 2030 Sustainable Development Goals is inextricably linked to a functional transport system that connects people and goods. In the fight against poverty and hunger, or air and water pollution, light and robust electric vehicles can play a key role,” said Rolf Huber, Managing Director of Siemens Stiftung.
Local vehicle production and locally-sourced renewable energy for the battery charging infrastructure create jobs and new perspectives for local populations that are future-oriented and economically sustainable.
Electromobility solutions compiled in a single booklet
The innovative technical solutions and business models, which include rental models and circular economy principles, still require appropriate regulatory and policy framework conditions in addition. For this, Siemens Stiftung works to connect local institutions, start-ups, universities, and public authorities. Key findings from the “Spotlight on E-Mobility” conference that took place at the end of 2019 in Kisumu/Western Kenya are also included in the booklet, which was created in response to the urgent demand for a current survey of viable, sustainable business models and technical solutions for an emission-free future. It compiles technical facts and data on the mobility situation in Sub-Saharan Africa, highlights the tremendous innovative spirit in the region, and shares stories from people who are putting these innovative solutions to use in their lives.
You can read and/or download the complete booklet here: Please write us an email if you are interested in a free copy of the print edition of the booklet:
alexandra.kovanetz@siemens-stiftung.org    

Ankara

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ICLEI Network

<p>Ankara Metropolitan Municipality (AMM) took on a challenge to transform 2005 model diesel buses at end-of-life into 100% electric buses.</p>