Business case

Providing public and private education and support services at any level or for any profession, and governmental and public administration services, including judicial, regulatory, and legislative activities, taxation, defence, public order and safety, immigration services, foreign affairs and the administration of government programmes

Education and Government Services

Participating in government programmes that support and advance the circular economy

Government programmes

**Make cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable**

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The pandemic has caused major shifts in migration patterns, including huge movements of people in and out of urban areas. Furthermore, climate change and conflicts tend to have disproportionate impacts on cities. These factors mean that the world is far from achieving the goal of sustainable cities.  
In many developing countries, slum populations have been growing, putting at risk the target of adequate housing for all by 2030. Since 2015, the number of countries with national disaster risk reduction strategies has more than doubled. 

Cities are hubs for ideas, commerce, culture, science, productivity, and social, human and economic development. Urban planning, transport systems, water, sanitation, waste management, disaster risk reduction, access to information, education and capacity-building are all relevant issues to sustainable urban development.

This target entails multiple essential concepts such as disaster risk reduction (DRR) and sustainable transport.

To achieve SDG 11, efforts must focus on strengthening capacities for planning for urban development, improving access to public transportation, and enhancing waste management. 

Sources: [https://sdgs.un.org/goals/goal11](https://sdgs.un.org/goals/goal11)
[https://sdgs.un.org/topics/sustainable-cities-and-human-settlements](https://sdgs.un.org/topics/sustainable-cities-and-human-settlements)


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11. Sustainable cities and communities

Make cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable

**Take urgent action to combat climate change and its impacts**

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The science is clear: our climate is heating rapidly. The average global temperatures have increased by 1.2 degrees Celsius since 1880, particularly in the late 20th century. The concentration of atmospheric CO2, the GHG that contributes more than 2/3 to global warming, is at its highest level ever. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) steadily points out that human activities have warmed the atmosphere, ocean and land, producing widespread and rapid changes in the atmosphere, ocean, cryosphere and biosphere. 

Without transformative action starting now and within this decade to reduce greenhouse gas emissions deeply and rapidly in all sectors, the 1.5°C target will be at risk and with it the lives of more than 3 billion people. 
According to IPCC, warming beyond 1.5 degrees could have irreversible and irreparable consequences. However, effective and equitable adaptation and mitigation actions can significantly reduce vulnerability and contribute to climate resilience. To limit global warming to well below 2, preferably 1.5 degrees Celsius, compared to pre-industrial levels, countries came together to hold themselves accountable under the Paris Agreement. 

Failure to act leads to intensifying heat waves, droughts, flooding, wildfires, sea-level rise, and famines. Emissions should already be decreasing now and will need to be cut almost by half by 2030 - a mere seven years from now. 


To combat climate change and its impacts by 2030, urgent and transformative action is needed to meet the commitments under the Paris Agreement across mitigation and adaptation efforts.

Sources: [https://sdgs.un.org/goals/goal13](https://sdgs.un.org/goals/goal13)
[https://sdgs.un.org/topics/climate-action-synergies](https://sdgs.un.org/topics/climate-action-synergies)

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13. Climate action

Take urgent action to combat climate change and its impacts

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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**These 17 Goals recognize that ending poverty and other deprivations must go hand-in-hand with strategies that improve health and education, reduce inequality, and spur economic growth – all while tackling climate change and working to preserve our oceans and forests.**

The SDGs build on decades of work by countries and the UN, and especially on the Millennium Declaration adopted in September 2000 at UN Headquarters in New York which let to the elaboration of eight Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) to reduce extreme poverty by 2015.

In 2015, the Paris Agreement was signed. A major blueprint came out of this: The Sustainable Development Goals: 17 overarching goals—and 169 targets—that governments are aiming to meet by 2030. Significant progress has been made in terms of poverty, health and inequality, but there's still a way to go. This is where the circular economy comes in: by circulating resources multiple times, the circular economy tackles issues of scarcity and allows all to access what they need—without overburdening the earth. If it's implemented in a holistic way—affording attention to social considerations and the fair distribution of resources— it also offers a pathway for achieving the SDGs; and the link between the two is ever-growing. To read more about the link between the SDGs and the circular economy, click [here](https://www.circle-economy.com/blogs/how-the-circular-economy-can-help-us-reach-the-sustainable-development-goals).

It is the Division for Sustainable Development Goals (DSDG) in the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs (UNDESA) which provides substantive support and capacity-building for the SDGs and their related thematic issues. TheDSDG plays a key role in the evaluation of UN systemwide implementation of the 2030 Agenda and in advocacy and outreach activities relating to the SDGs. In order to make the 2030 Agenda a reality, broad ownership of the SDGs must translate into a strong commitment by all stakeholders to implement the global goals. DSDG aims to help facilitate this engagement.
Alongside this, the annual High-level Political Forum on Sustainable Development serves as the central UN platform for the follow-up and review of the SDGs.
In addition, the UN Secretary-General presents an annual SDG Progress report, which is developed in cooperation with the UN System, and based on the global indicator framework and data produced by national statistical systems and information collected at the regional level.

To read more information: [https://sdgs.un.org/goals](https://sdgs.un.org/goals)

Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

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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 city of Gamagori has taken a significant leap towards sustainable development by initiating the “Circular City Gamagori Demonstration Experiment Project.” In a move towards a circular economy, the city has recently announced the selection of five pioneering projects, aligning with its commitment made in November 2021.
Mayor Toshiaki Suzuki of Gamagori, while presenting the city’s initiatives at the “Circular Economy Roundtable Dialogue” at the Prime Minister’s Official Residence, highlighted the city’s vision of incorporating circular economy principles into its urban development strategy. The “Circular City Gamagori Action Plan” primarily focuses on seven areas: education, consumption, health, food, tourism, transportation, and manufacturing.
These projects are part of the city’s broader strategy to transition local businesses towards sustainable practices. The initiatives range from Toyota Connected Corporation’s “City Mobility” promotion to Curelabo Corporation’s upcycling of mandarin pruning branches. Other notable projects include NGK Insulators Ltd.’s CO2 Creation and Connection Project, Daiseki Co., Ltd.’s green power generation, Sunrose Corporation’s sustainable wedding dresses, and Sunny Life Support Corporation’s upcycled nap futons.
The criteria for selecting these projects were their alignment with the “Circular City Gamagori Action Plan,” innovation, and potential to address societal challenges through the circular economy. The projects, some being collaborations between local and external businesses, aim to create new business models that address key societal issues.
Each project will receive financial support from the city, with a cap on the maximum funding available. The execution of these projects is scheduled until the end of February 2024, with participating businesses required to submit detailed reports on their outcomes, thereby contributing to Gamagori’s vision of a sustainable and circular future.
[Reference] Selected projects for Circular City Gamagori Demonstration Experiment Project (Japanese)  Tagged asAichi PrefectureCircular EconomyGamagori City   

Gamagōri

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Municipality of Gamagori

<p>The city of Gamagori has launched the "Circular City Gamagori Demonstration Experiment Project," selecting five innovative projects to advance its circular economy goals. This initiative aligns with the city's commitment made in November 2021 to incorporate circular economy principles into urban development.</p>

Circular Economy Initiatives in Gamagori

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This collection features a selection of inspiring examples of the circular economy, from innovative business models to local community practices in Japan.

Circular Economy Hub Japan is an online platform operated by Harch Inc., a Japanese digital media company focusing on sustainability and the circular economy. 

Circular Economy Hub Japan provides the latest circular economy news, case studies, and insights in Japan and overseas. The platform also hosts monthly events, circular design workshops, study tours, and community gatherings for circular economy professionals across the county. 
The initiative aims to accelerate the circular economy transition in Japan by sharing knowledge and experiences, facilitating collaborations, and boosting innovations together. 
Our diverse audience and community members include local governments, multinational companies, startups, SMEs, research institutions, consultancies, universities, nonprofits, and citizens.

To learn more about Circular Economy Hub Japan visit [https://harch.jp/en/media/cehub](https://harch.jp/en/media/cehub)

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Circular Economy Hub Japan

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Circular City Gamagori is a circular city initiative led by Gamagori City, Aichi prefecture in Japan. As the country’s first municipality officially committed to becoming a circular city in 2021, Gamagori aims to achieve well-being for all citizens by promoting a circular economy and seeking an optimal balance between the economy, society, and the environment. With a vision of “Connect, Collaborate, and Spread,” Circular City Gamagori has set seven focus areas: education, consumption, health, food, tourism, mobility, and manufacturing. 

Circular City Gamagori (JP)
[https://www.city.gamagori.lg.jp/site/circularcity/](link)

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Circular City Gamagori

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Policy case

Impact on increased knowledge and understanding as a result of the case study

Increase Awareness

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)

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)

Circular Economy in school programmes

Extra-curricular education

Grant funding

Incubator and investment programmes

Public-private partnerships

Public-civil partnerships

Subsidies

Awareness raising events

Information campaigns

**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

**Promote sustained, inclusive and sustainable economic growth, full and productive employment and decent work for all**

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Progress towards achieving SDG8 has been challenging and the world is far from reaching most of the targets. The lingering effects of COVID-19, cost-of-living crises, trade tensions, uncertain monetary policy paths, rising debts in developing countries, and the war in Ukraine can each significantly set back global economic growth. Combined, these crises are placing the global economy under a serious threat. Global real GDP per capita is forecast to slow down in 2023, putting at risk not just employment and income but also advances inequitable pay for women and decent work for young people. 

With governments today seeking effective ways to lead their nations out of these related crises whilst also taking into account these planetary boundaries, green economy (in its various forms) has been proposed as a means for catalysing renewed national policy development and international cooperation and support for sustainable development. The concept has received significant international attention over the past few years as a tool to address the 2008 financial crisis as well as one of two themes for the 2012 UN Conference on Sustainable Development (Rio+20). This has resulted in a rapidly expanding literature including new publications on green economy from a variety of influential international organisations, national governments, think tanks, experts, non-government organisations and others.

In parallel, tourism is one of the world's fastest-growing industries and an important source of foreign exchange and employment, while being closely linked to the social, economic, and environmental well-being of many countries, especially developing countries. Maritime or ocean-related tourism, as well as coastal tourism, are for example vital sectors of the economy in small island developing States (SIDS) and coastal least developed countries (LDCs). 
The World Tourism Organization defines sustainable tourism as “tourism that takes full account of its current and future economic, social and environmental impacts, addressing the needs of visitors, the industry, the environment and host communities".

Finally, this goal entails decent work, employment creation, social protection, rights at work and social dialogue to be represented as part of integral elements of the new 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. Furthermore, crucial aspects of decent work are broadly rooted in the targets of many of the other 16 goals.

Achieving SDG8 will require a wholesale reform of our morally bankrupt financial system in order to tackle rising debts, economic uncertainties, and trade tensions, while promoting equitable pay and decent work for young people.

Sources: [https://sdgs.un.org/goals/goal8](https://sdgs.un.org/goals/goal8)
[https://sdgs.un.org/topics/green-economy](https://sdgs.un.org/topics/green-economy)
[https://sdgs.un.org/topics/sustainable-tourism](https://sdgs.un.org/topics/sustainable-tourism)
[https://sdgs.un.org/topics/employment-decent-work-all-and-social-protection](https://sdgs.un.org/topics/employment-decent-work-all-and-social-protection)

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8. Decent work and economic growth

Promote sustained, inclusive and sustainable economic growth, full and productive employment and decent work for all

**Ensure sustainable consumption and production patterns**

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The world is seriously off track in its effort to halve per-capita food waste and losses by 2030.The COVID-19 pandemic has had significant impacts on consumption and production patterns, with disruptions to global supply chains and changes in consumer behaviour. 

Responsible consumption and production must be an integral part of the recovery from the pandemic. 
But the global economy also needs to speed up the decoupling of economic growth from resource use by maximizing the socio-economic benefits of resources while minimizing their negative impacts. 

Reporting on corporate sustainability has tripled since the beginning of the SDG period, but the private sector will need to significantly improve reporting on activities that contribute to the SDGs. 

This primarily entails environmentally sound management of "toxic chemicals" A substantial use of chemicals is essential to meet the social and economic goals of the world community, and these can be used with a high degree of safety when best practices are followed.  Gross chemical contamination, with grave damage to human health, genetic structures reproductive outcomes, and the environment, has been continuing within some of the world's most important industrial areas, and restoration will require major investment as well as the development of new techniques.
Effective control of the generation, storage, treatment, recycling and reuse, transport, recovery and disposal of hazardous wastes is another similar challenge. 
In addition,  solid wastes include all domestic refuse and non-hazardous wastes such as commercial and institutional wastes, street sweepings construction debris, and, in some countries, human wastes. As hazardous waste is frequently intermixed with other waste, this poses particular management challenges.
Finally, this target ensures that radioactive waste is safely managed, transported, stored and disposed of, with a view to protecting human health and the environment. 

To deliver SDG12, it is crucial to implement policies that support the shift to sustainable practices and decouple economic growth from resource use.

Sources: [https://sdgs.un.org/goals/goal12](https://sdgs.un.org/goals/goal12)
[https://sdgs.un.org/topics/chemicals-and-waste](https://sdgs.un.org/topics/chemicals-and-waste)

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12. Responsible consumption and production

Ensure sustainable consumption and production patterns

**Strengthen the means of implementation and revitalize the Global Partnership for Sustainable Development**

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Progress towards achieving SDG17 has been mixed. On the one hand, there have been some advances in areas such as development aid, remittances flows, and access to technology. However, funding for development remains a major challenge, particularly in low income countries. 
Additionally, geopolitical tensions and the rise of nationalism in some parts of the world have made it more difficult to achieve international cooperation and coordination. 
Many developing countries are battling record inflation, rising interest rates and looming debt burdens, competing priorities, and limited fiscal space. A major surge in concerted action is needed to ensure developing countries have access to the financing and technologies needed to accelerate SDG implementation.

To achieve goal 17, capacity-building activities are essential as they're aimed at strengthening and maintaining the capabilities of states and societies to design and implement strategies that minimize the negative impacts of current social, economic and environmental crises and emerging challenges. This particularly makes sense to support national plans to implement all the sustainable development goals, including North-South, South-South, and triangular cooperation.
As the achievement of Sustainable Development requires all hands on deck, these multi-stakeholder partnerships must happen around key topics such as finance, science, technology and trade. 


Sources: [https://sdgs.un.org/goals/goal17](https://sdgs.un.org/goals/goal17)
[https://sdgs.un.org/topics/capacity-development](https://sdgs.un.org/topics/capacity-development)


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17. Partnerships for the Goals

Strengthen the means of implementation and revitalize the Global Partnership for Sustainable Development

Impacts

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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

  2024年8月1日更新 国際会議「２０２４年国際首長フォーラム」に参加しました  2024年7月9日更新 サーキュラーシティ蒲郡実証実験プロジェクトの採択結果について  2024年7月1日更新 株式会社ECOMMITと連携協定を締結しました  2024年4月8日更新 サーキュラーシティ蒲郡実証実験プロジェクトを募集します  2024年4月3日更新 蒲郡市サステナビリティレポート2023を作成しました  2024年3月1日更新 たくさんのご参加ありがとうございました！「まちなかモビリティ」推進実証 体験サービスは終了しました  2024年2月22日更新 サーキュラーシティ実証実験プロジェクト成果報告会を開催します  2024年1月12日更新 サーキュラーシティカンファレンスを開催します  2023年10月25日更新 サーキュラーシティ蒲郡チャレンジフェスティバルを開催します  2023年10月16日更新 中部圏SDGs広域フォーラム2023in蒲郡を開催します  

Japan

<p>Circular City Gamagori is a circular city initiative led by Gamagori City, Aichi prefecture in Japan. As the country’s first municipality officially committed to becoming a circular city in 2022, Gamagori aims to achieve well-being for all citizens by promoting a circular economy and seeking an optimal balance between the economy, society, and the environment. With a vision of “Connect, Collaborate, and Spread,” Circular City Gamagori has set seven focus areas: education, consumption, health, food, tourism, mobility, and manufacturing.</p>