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Starter Kit collection

Policy 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

Impact on the quantity or quality of jobs, and shifts in the labour market

Jobs

Impact on the health and happiness of human populations

Well-being

Minimise waste through diversion: Instead of sending waste to landfill, it is redirected into other industrial processes for handling, treatment, recycling, recovery, or reuse in various forms. 

Minimise waste through design: At the outset of a process of project, plan and design such that there is zero waste or minimal waste during production, use, and at end of life. 

Minimise Waste (SDG12)

Contributing to the improvement of biodiversity including species diversity, total number of protected species, and ecosystem health

Biodiversity

Extracting resources and processing them to produce materials for use bysociety

Materials and Fuels

Producing basic and specialty chemicals, inks, agricultural chemical such as fertilisers and pesticides, plastics including packaging, and rubber

Chemical and Plastic

Work together throughout the supply chain, internally within organisations and with the public sector and communities to increase transparency and create joint value

Team up to create joint value

Engage with the government on circular policies and programmes

Government collaboration

Engaging in discussions with government bodies and policymakers to push for regulations that support the circular economy

Advocacy for circular economy policy

'Inform' increases the overall levels of awareness and builds the necessary skills and knowledge around the circular economy to foster long-term change.

Inform

Circular Economy in school programmes

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

Manage

'Mobilise' sets the direction of and builds momentum towards long-term change, while also determining how this direction is determined and governed.

Mobilise

Govern the Transition

Institutional design to enable circularity

Cross-departmental collaboration and engagement

 Convene Towards Action

Advocate for circular change

Voluntary agreements around circular ambitions

'Regulate' changes the rules of the systems to achieve compliance through enforcement. 


Regulate

 Regulation

 Public Procurement

Archetypes

CE Materials

Impacts

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Industries

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Materials

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

Policies

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

Nace Sectors

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

Topics

Urban Opportunities

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.

It is 2050.  Full systems change has taken place. This wouldn’t have been possible without the immediate action and radical steps taken from 2020 onwards. Many targets had to be identified in the early 2020s and achieved by 2030 to ensure that the 2050 goal happened in full. A sense of urgency, turbo stakeholder collaboration, supportive government regulation and clear, data driven targets enabled the mindsets and systems change needed to transform to a fully circular textiles ecosystem.

A circular economics model underpins what we have created. It reflects and supports a living organism made up of makers, users and restorers, interacting across vibrant and interconnected networks. Checks and balances, alongside transparency and accountability, ensure a healthy system. Financial, environmental, and social metrics have the purpose of serving communities and the planet. There is shared ownership of profit and loss – across all three metrics – throughout the value chain.

This is what we’ve achieved over the last 30 years:

WCTD Themes

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The Circular City Actions Framework provides urban changemakers with five complementary strategies they can use to start working towards a more circular system. 

The framework is action-based to provide users with concrete strategic directions and showcase the desired outcomes of each strategy. 
The framework consists of five complementary **strategies**, under which **sub-strategies** provide further detail. Finally, each sub-strategy consists of a diversity of tangible **solutions** which are framed in relation to key thematic areas. 

Note: solutions are currently focused on:
- 🍏 **Food systems**
- 🏢  **Built environment**
- 👕📱  **Consumer goods**
- ⚡ **Energy Systems**
- 🚌 **Mobility Systems**
- 💧 **Water Systems**

More thematic areas are coming soon...

'Click through each of the five strategy cards below to explore the framework and circular economy case studies in more depth!'



This framework was developed in collaboration with ICLEI, Metabolic and Ellen MacArthur Foundation with support from the MAVA Foundation. Read more about it [here]( https://circulars.iclei.org/action-framework/). 



Circular City Actions Framework

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An action-based framework for local governments working towards circular cities

Thematic Areas

City Stakeholders

Test Framework

Challenges

Based on the ongoing ISO standardisation process, a taxonomy has been defined under which to cluster indicators to measure circularity. 

ISO Taxonomy

If managed well, the transition to the circular economy will have multiple benefits for the labour market, including the opening up of job opportunities, raising job standards and reducing inequalities through a global redistribution of value. But a positive transition to circularity for work and workers must be underpinned by three pillars: upskilling the workforce, quality of work and inclusive job opportunities. Find out more and explore cases that illustrate these pillars below.

Circular Jobs Initiative Pillars

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A positive transition to circularity for work and workers must be underpinned by three core pillars.

This is a survey that dives into understanding the policy environment around specific circular solutions. 

The survey is divided into five sections, based on the five key elements of the Circular Cities Action Framework. 
Each section asks 2-3 questions to explore which policies may or may not be present within your city to support a transition towards a circular economy. 

You are not alone! Each question provides some practical examples from cities around the world that have adopted a certain policy to support their transition. This can help to compare with your city - is your city doing something similar?

The survey answers should be based on your current knowledge, and not illicit additional research - ! Please make use of the Not sure option as appropriate.


Ganbatte Cities Policy Tracker [Food]

Ganbatte Cities - Policy tracker policy instruments

Policy Tracker - TEST

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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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             	pdf: 
https://rethinkingplastics.eu/media/acfupload/Policy_paper_Nang_cao_hieu_qua_quan_ly_chat_thai_va_can_hang_tu_tau_bien_thong_qua_Du_an_Suy_nghi_lai_ve_nhua_1.pdf

	Text Body 1: 
The Policy Paper shares insights about efficient waste collection from ships in Vietnam based on European experiences, international regulations and an assessment of the current situation. It also summarises steps for improving ship waste management based on learnings from pilot activities in Cat Lai Port. If ships calling ports cannot deliver their waste at port reception facilities or other collection systems, they are indirectly forced to dump it illegally into the sea. It is therefore vital that the waste collected from ships is managed properly on land and to the extent possible merged into the municipality waste streams. The Policy Paper shares insights about efficient waste collection from ships in Vietnam based on European experiences, international regulations and an assessment of the current situation. It also summarises steps for improving ship waste management based on learnings from pilot activities in Cat Lai Port.
  The Policy Paper shares insights about efficient waste collection from ships in Vietnam based on European experiences, international regulations and an assessment of the current situation. 	           	pdf: 
https://rethinkingplastics.eu/media/acfupload/Policy_paper_How_to_Improve_the_Management_of_Ship-Generated_Waste_and_Cargo_Residues_in_Vietnam.pdf

	Text Body 1: 
The Policy Paper shares insights about efficient waste collection from ships in Vietnam based on European experiences, international regulations and an assessment of the current situation. It also summarises steps for improving ship waste management based on learnings from pilot activities in Cat Lai Port. If ships calling ports cannot deliver their waste at port reception facilities or other collection systems, they are indirectly forced to dump it illegally into the sea. It is therefore vital that the waste collected from ships is managed properly on land and to the extent possible merged into the municipality waste streams. The Policy Paper shares insights about efficient waste collection from ships in Vietnam based on European experiences, international regulations and an assessment of the current situation. It also summarises steps for improving ship waste management based on learnings from pilot activities in Cat Lai Port.
  The Policy Paper shares insights about efficient waste collection from ships in Vietnam based on European experiences, international regulations and an assessment of the current situation.	           	pdf: 
https://rethinkingplastics.eu/media/acfupload/EPR_Thailand_Policy_Brief.pdf

	Text Body 1: 
The Policy Brief summarises key findings regarding the current situation of packaging waste management in Thailand and features recommendations for developing a policy framework for EPR for packaging waste. How can EPR improve the management of packaging waste in Thailand, which are the key challenges and what do key stakeholders recommend? The paper summarises key findings regarding the current situation of packaging waste management in Thailand and features recommendations for developing a policy framework for EPR for packaging waste based on interviews with stakeholders along the plastic value chain. The document includes both English and Thai language versions.
  The Policy Brief summarises key findings regarding the current situation of packaging waste management in Thailand and features recommendations for developing a policy framework for EPR for packaging waste.	           	pdf: 
https://rethinkingplastics.eu/media/acfupload/improving-ship-waste-management-in-port.pdf

	Key Area: 
Waste Management

	Text Body 1: 
Illegal ship waste discharges into the ocean negatively impact the marine environment, fishing and the tourism industry. Port reception facilities or other collection systems need to be in place for ship waste delivery. Our infographic summarised international regulations, success factors and concrete steps towards an efficient Ship Waste Management in Ports
  Illegal ship waste discharges into the ocean negatively impact the marine environment, fishing and the tourism industry.	           	pdf: 
https://rethinkingplastics.eu/media/acfupload/ports-fisheries.pdf

	Key Area: 
Ports & Fisheries

	Text Body 1: 
Often, fishers catch plastic waste while working on the sea. Fishing for Litter approaches encourage the fishing communities to collect and discharge this waste on land instead of in the ocean. This works through incentives, connection to recyclers and providing information on marine protection. In our pilot projects, we cooperate with various partners on identifying good practices and finding new solutions for Fishing for Litter. Our infographic shows how it works and summarises key steps to set up a Fishing for Litter scheme.
  Fishing for Litter approaches encourage the fishing communities to collect and discharge plastic waste caught on sea on land. Our infographic shows how it works and the key steps to set up a Fishing for Litter scheme.	           	pdf: 
https://rethinkingplastics.eu/media/acfupload/giz-vietnamese.pdf

	Key Area: 
Ports & Fisheries

	Text Body 1: 
Often, fishers catch plastic waste while working on the sea. Fishing for Litter approaches encourage the fishing communities to collect and discharge this waste on land instead of in the ocean. This works through incentives, connection to recyclers and providing information on marine protection. In our pilot projects, we cooperate with various partners on identifying good practices and finding new solutions for Fishing for Litter. Our infographic shows how it works and summarises key steps to set up a Fishing for Litter scheme.
  Fishing for Litter approaches encourage the fishing communities to collect and discharge plastic waste caught on sea on land. Our infographic shows how it works and the key steps to set up a Fishing for Litter scheme.	           	pdf: 
https://rethinkingplastics.eu/media/acfupload/EPR_Toolbox_Chinese_Version_updated_by_March_2022.pdf

	Key Area: 
Waste Management, Green Public Procurement

	Text Body 1: 
The EPR Toolbox is a collection of internationally relevant knowledge on the topic of EPR for packaging. It contains detailed training materials on EPR, practical country examples and a set of FAQs. Institutional and operational actors, among them public authorities, producers, collectors, operators or recyclers, can now enhance their knowledge about EPR for packaging with the Chinese translation of the EPR Toolbox. The toolbox was developed by the PREVENT Waste Alliance and translated by ‘Rethinking Plastics’.  More about the PREVENT Waste Alliance.
  The EPR Toolbox is a collection of internationally relevant knowledge on the topic of EPR for packaging.            	pdf: 
https://rethinkingplastics.eu/media/acfupload/PREVENT-EPR-Toolbox-in-vn-PDF-interactive13052021.pdf

	Text Body 1: 
The EPR Toolbox is a collection of internationally relevant knowledge on the topic of EPR for packaging. It contains detailed training materials on EPR, practical country examples and a set of FAQs. Institutional and operational actors, among them public authorities, producers, collectors, operators or recyclers, can now enhance their knowledge about EPR for packaging with the Vietnamese translation of the EPR Toolbox. The toolbox was developed by the PREVENT Waste Alliance and translated by ‘Rethinking Plastics’.  More about the PREVENT Waste Alliance.
  The EPR Toolbox is a collection of internationally relevant knowledge on the topic of EPR for packaging.       
  

China

Indonesia

Philippines

Thailand

Vietnam

Singapore

Japan

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GIZ (Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit )

The European Union is a unique economic and political union between 27 EU countries that together cover much of the continent.

European Union 

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Government of China

Government of Singapore

Deutsche Zusammenarbeit

Expertise France

Government of Indonesia

Government of Thailand

Government of Philippines

Government of Vietnam

Government of Japan

The project 'Rethinking Plastics - Circular Economy Solutions to Marine Litter' is focusing on solutions regarding the transition towards a circular economy with the aim of reducing plastic waste leakage into the sea. It considers 7 counties of China, Indonesia, Japan, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam. Key areas of the pilot projects are consumption and production, waste management and ports and fisheries encouraging green public procurement, awareness rising and education.The project offer advising, promoting knowledge exchange and best practice sharing through policy dialogues, workshops and conferences as well as implementing activities in more than 20 pilot projects in China, Indonesia, the Philippines, Thailand and Vietnam to examine new approaches and develop best practices.

Rethinking Plastics - Circular Economy Solutions to Marine Litter

2023JapaneseCE.pdf

The Japanese Circular Economy and Sound Material-Cycle Society Policies: Discourse and Policy Analysis

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

Producing agricultural products and processing them into food and beverageproducts for consumption

Agri/Food

Producing electrical equipment and machinery for industrial use

Capital Equipment

Producing transporation equipment and providing services for thetransportation of goods and people

Transportation and Logistics

Producing and providing business and consumer goods and services

Goods and Services

Providing specialist services to support consumers, businesses, andgovernments

Professional Services

Societal Services

Producing building materials and providing services to create residential and non-residential infrastructure and real estate


Construction and Infrastructure

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

Prioritise regenerative resources

While resources are in-use, maintain, repair and upgrade them to maximise their lifetime and give them a second life through take back strategies when applicable

Stretch the lifetime

Utilise waste streams as a source of secondary resources and recover waste for reuse and recycling

Use waste as a resource

Consider opportunities to create greater value and align incentives that build on the interaction between products and services

Rethink the business model

Account for the systems perspective during the design process, to use the right materials, to design for appropriate lifetime and to design for extended future use

Design for the future

Use digital, online platforms and technologies that provide insights to track and optimise resource use, strengthen connections between supply chain actors, and enable the implementation of circular models



Incorporate digital technology

'Incentivise' sends market signals and support to businesses, citizens and governments to promote certain activities.

Incentivise

 Develop research, structure knowledge, encourage innovation networks and disseminate findings with integrity


Strengthen and advance knowledge

**End poverty in all its forms and everywhere**

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Since 2015, global poverty reduction was already slowing down and the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic reversed three decades of steady progress with the number of people living in extreme poverty increasing for the first time in a generation. Recovery from the pandemic has been slow and uneven as the world is presently facing multiple geopolitical, socioeconomic, and climatic risks. 
Given current trends, 575 million people (nearly 7% of the world’s population) will still be living in extreme poverty in 2030 compared to 800 million in 2015 (or 10.8%). 
A surge in action and investment to enhance job opportunities and extend social services to the most excluded is crucial to delivering on the central commitment to ending poverty.
The 2030 Agenda acknowledges that eradicating poverty in all its forms and dimensions, including extreme poverty, is the greatest global challenge and an indispensable requirement for sustainable development.


Priority actions on poverty eradication include:
- improving access to sustainable livelihoods, entrepreneurial opportunities, and productive resources;
- providing universal access to basic social services;
- progressively developing social protection systems to support those who cannot support themselves;
- empowering people living in poverty and their organizations;
- addressing the disproportionate impact of poverty on women;
- working with interested donors and recipients to allocate increased shares of ODA to poverty eradication; and
- intensifying international cooperation for poverty eradication.

 For more information and documents on this topic, please visit [this link](https://sustainabledevelopment.un.org/topics/povertyeradication)

Sources: [https://sdgs.un.org/goals/goal1](https://sdgs.un.org/goals/goal1)
[https://sdgs.un.org/topics/poverty-eradication](https://sdgs.un.org/topics/poverty-eradication)

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1. No poverty   

End poverty in all its forms and everywhere

**End hunger, achieve food security and improved nutrition and promote sustainable agriculture**

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The number of people facing hunger and food insecurity has been on the rise since 2015, with the pandemic, conflict climate change, and growing inequalities exacerbating the situation. 
In 2015, 589 million people were experiencing hunger, and by 2021, that number had risen to 768 million. 
To achieve zero hunger by 2030, immediate and intensified efforts are required to transform food systems, ensure food security and invest in sustainable agricultural practices.
The Sustainable Development Goal to “End hunger, achieve food security and improved nutrition and promote sustainable agriculture” (SDG2) recognizes the inter linkages among supporting sustainable agriculture, empowering small farmers, promoting gender equality, ending rural poverty, ensuring healthy lifestyles, tackling climate change, and other issues addressed within the set of 17 Sustainable Development Goals in the Post-2015 Development Agenda.

Extreme poverty and hunger are predominantly rural, with smallholder farmers and their families making up a very significant proportion of the poor and hungry. Thus, eradicating poverty and hunger is integrally linked to boosting food production, agricultural productivity, and rural incomes.
Land, healthy soils, and water are key inputs into food production, and their growing scarcity in many parts of the world makes it imperative to use and manage them sustainably. Boosting yields on existing agricultural lands, including restoration of degraded lands, through sustainable agricultural practices would also relieve pressure to clear forests for agricultural production. Wise management of scarce water through improved irrigation and storage technologies, combined with the development of new drought-resistant crop varieties, can contribute to sustaining drylands productivity.
Beyond adequate calorie intake, proper nutrition has other dimensions that deserve attention, including micronutrient availability and healthy diets. Unhealthy diets and lifestyles are closely linked to the growing incidence of non-communicable diseases in both developed and developing countries.

Sources: [https://sdgs.un.org/goals/goal2](https://sdgs.un.org/goals/goal2)
[https://sdgs.un.org/topics/rural-development](https://sdgs.un.org/topics/rural-development)
[https://sdgs.un.org/topics/food-security-and-nutrition-and-sustainable-agriculture](https://sdgs.un.org/topics/food-security-and-nutrition-and-sustainable-agriculture)

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2. Zero hunger   

End hunger, achieve food security and improved nutrition and promote sustainable agriculture

**Ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all at all ages**

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The pandemic and other ongoing crises are hindering progress in achieving SDG3, exacerbating existing health inequalities and threatening progress toward universal health coverage. 
As a result, 68 million children are known to be un or under-vaccinated as of 2022 from TB and malaria increased. This has been particularly challenging in low- and middle-income countries, where health systems were already under-resourced before the pandemic. 

The goal targets to :
- reduce the global maternal mortality ratio;
- end preventable deaths of newborns and children; 
- end the epidemics of AIDS, tuberculosis, malaria, and other communicable diseases; 
- reduce mortality from non-communicable diseases; 
- strengthen the prevention and treatment of substance abuse; 
- halve the number of deaths and injuries from road traffic accidents; 
- ensure universal access to sexual and reproductive healthcare services; 
- achieve universal health coverage; 
- reduce the number of deaths and illnesses from hazardous chemicals and pollution;
- strengthen the implementation of the World Health Organization Framework Convention on Tobacco Control in all countries, as appropriate; 
- support the research and development of vaccines and medicines for the communicable and non-communicable diseases that primarily affect developing countries, provide access to affordable essential medicines and vaccines;
- substantially increase health financing and the recruitment, development, training and retention of the health workforce in developing countries, especially in least developed countries and small island developing States;
- strengthen the capacity of all countries, in particular developing countries, for early warning, risk reduction and management of national and global health risks.

Sources: [https://sdgs.un.org/goals/goal3](https://sdgs.un.org/goals/goal3)
[https://sdgs.un.org/topics/health-and-population](https://sdgs.un.org/topics/health-and-population)  



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3. Good health and well-being   

Ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all at all ages

**Ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all**

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Even before the COVID-19 pandemic, the world was already off-track to achieve its education targets. If no additional measures are taken, only one in six countries will meet SDG4 and achieve universal access to quality education by 2030. An estimated 84 million children and young people will still be out of school and an estimated 300 million students will still not have the basic numeracy and literacy skills they need to succeed in life. 

To deliver SDG4, education systems must be re-imagined, and education financing must become a priority national investment.

The goal targets to :
- ensure that all girls and boys complete free, equitable and quality primary and secondary education leading to relevant and effective learning outcomes;
- ensure that all girls and boys have access to quality early childhood development, care, and pre-primary education so that they are ready for primary education;
- ensure equal access for all women and men to affordable and quality technical, vocational, and tertiary education, including university;
- substantially increase the number of youth and adults who have relevant skills, including technical and vocational skills, for employment, decent jobs, and entrepreneurship;
- eliminate gender disparities in education and ensure equal access to all levels of education and vocational training for the vulnerable, including persons with disabilities, indigenous peoples, and children in vulnerable situations;
- ensure that all youth and a substantial proportion of adults, both men and women, achieve literacy and numeracy;
- ensure that all learners acquire the knowledge and skills needed to promote sustainable development, including, among others, through education for sustainable development and sustainable lifestyles, human rights, gender equality, promotion of a culture of peace and non-violence, global citizenship and appreciation of cultural diversity and of culture’s contribution to sustainable development;
- build and upgrade education facilities that are child, disability and gender sensitive and provide safe, non-violent, inclusive and effective learning environments for all;
- substantially expand globally the number of scholarships available to developing countries, in particular least developed countries, small island developing States and African countries, for enrolment in higher education, including vocational training and information and communications technology, technical, engineering and scientific programmes, in developed countries and other developing countries;
- substantially increase the supply of qualified teachers, including through international cooperation for teacher training in developing countries, especially least developed countries and small island developing States.

Source: [https://sdgs.un.org/goals/goal4](https://sdgs.un.org/goals/goal4)



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4. Quality education

Ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all

**Achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls**

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The world is not on track to achieve gender equality by 2030. At the global level, none of the 18 indicators “met or almost met” the targets and only one is “close to target”. 
At the current rate of progress, it is estimated that it will take up to 286 years to close gaps in legal protection and remove discriminatory laws, 140 years for women to be represented equally in positions of power and leadership in the workplace, and 47 years to achieve equal representation in national parliaments. 
Cascading global crises have highlighted and exacerbated existing gender inequalities, such as unequal access to healthcare, education, and economic opportunities. Political leadership and a comprehensive set of policy reforms are needed to dismantle systemic barriers to the achievement of SDG4.

Those targets include: 
- end all forms of discrimination against all women and girls everywhere;
- eliminate all forms of violence against all women and girls in the public and private spheres, including trafficking and sexual and other types of exploitation;
- eliminate all harmful practices, such as child, early and forced marriage and female genital mutilation;
- recognize and value unpaid care and domestic work through the provision of public services, infrastructure and social protection policies and the promotion of shared responsibility within the household and the family as nationally appropriate; 
- ensure women’s full and effective participation and equal opportunities for leadership at all levels of decision-making in political, economic and public life;
- ensure universal access to sexual and reproductive health and reproductive rights;
- undertake reforms to give women equal rights to economic resources, as well as access to ownership and control over land and other forms of property, financial services, inheritance and natural resources, in accordance with national laws;
- enhance the use of enabling technology, in particular information and communications technology, to promote the empowerment of women;
- adopt and strengthen sound policies and enforceable legislation for the promotion of gender equality and the empowerment of all women and girls at all levels.

Source: [https://sdgs.un.org/goals/goal5](https://sdgs.un.org/goals/goal5)

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5. Gender equality

Achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls

**Ensure availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation for all**

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Billions of people still lack access to safe water, sanitation, and hygiene, despite improvement in the provision of these basic services. Water scarcity is a growing problem in many parts of the world, and conflicts and climate change are exacerbating the issue. 
Water and sanitation are at the core of sustainable development, and the range of services they provide underpin poverty reduction, economic growth, and environmental sustainability. However, in recent decades overexploitation, pollution, and climate change have led to severe water stress in locales across the world.  
In addition, water pollution is a significant challenge that affects both human health and the environment in many countries. 

Today, 2.2 billion people lack access to safely managed drinking water, and more than 4.2 billion people lack safely managed sanitation. Climate change is exacerbating the situation, with increasing disasters such as floods and droughts. 80 percent of wastewater in the world flows back into the ecosystem without being treated or reused, and 70 percent of the world’s natural wetland extent has been lost, including a significant loss of freshwater species. 

The COVID-19 pandemic poses an additional impediment, impairing access for billions of people to safely manage drinking water, sanitation, and hygiene services – services desperately needed to prevent the virus from spreading. 

Boosting infrastructure investment, improving cross-sectoral coordination, and addressing climate change are key to getting SDG6 back on track.

Sources: [https://sdgs.un.org/goals/goal6](https://sdgs.un.org/goals/goal6)
[https://sdgs.un.org/topics/water-and-sanitation](https://sdgs.un.org/topics/water-and-sanitation)



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6. Clean water and sanitation  

Ensure availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation for all

Although the Japanese government is an early adopter of Circular Economy (CE) policies and developed the concept of the Sound Material-Cycle Society in the early 2000s, its CE policies have nonetheless been poorly researched and understood, especially in English academic literature. This article addresses this research gap by answering the following questions: What are the dominant discourses of key stakeholders in Japan regarding CE? And to what extent does the current CE policy in Japan relate to that? Methodologically, this paper conducted a discourse analysis through a mix of policy analysis, media analysis, stakeholder interviews, keyword mining, qualitative content analysis, and analysis of stakeholder presence. Results show that, while CE discourses in Japan are rather diverse, they mostly fall within the Reformist Circular Society discourse type, with some smaller Technocentric Circular Economy and Transformational Circular Society elements. Results also show that businesses and academics were over-represented in policy meetings and the media, compared to NGOs and local government actors, which are more likely to hold transformational circularity discourses. Most circularity discourses in Japan are thus focused on a growth-optimistic narrative that emphasises innovative technologies and lacks a stronger understanding of social justice and planetary boundaries. Based on these findings, this article suggests recommendations, such as revisiting Japanese ecological thinking and Buddhist philosophy, which can inspire degrowth-oriented circularity approaches, as well as encompassing more participation of neglected societal groups in the development and implementation of CE policies and practices. By highlighting the challenges in current CE discourse and implementation in Japan, this study presents implications for a more socially inclusive and ecologically sustainable path towards a circular society.