MENARID: A Circular Economy Approach to Agro-Biodiversity Conservation in the Souss-Massa Region of Morocco

CAT Africa

Business case

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

Agri/Food

Preserving and conserving biological products such as food, forests, etc.

Preservation, conservation

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

Circular development in the world’s cities will be essential in achieving global climate goals. 45% of emissions come from how we make and use products, and how we produce food. The circular economy provides a framework for using resources differently, allowing us to better operate within the confines of the planet. However, a report by Circle Economy earlier this year found that our global economy has become less circular since 2018, indicating that we are heading in the wrong direction. ‍The principles of a circular economy are thus highly relevant to cities, yet for many this is a new topic that at first is not easy to relate to city functions. Since 2015, Circle Economy’s Cities Programme has worked with over 20 cities to develop well-informed circular economy strategies based on material flow data and the local socio-economic context. To allow more cities to conduct these assessments, the process is being digitised in the form of an open-access online tool called the “Circle City Scan Tool”.‍The Circle City Scan Tool aims to allow any local government or city change agent to identify and prioritise circular opportunities for their city or region, based on socioeconomic and material flow data about their context. The tool has been developed in its prototype version by Circle Economy with support from the MAVA Foundation.‍To ensure the tool can be adapted to fit different regional contexts and addresses the practical needs of cities, ICLEI experts will be testing the tool with 10 pilot cities from 3 world regions (see full list below) and will provide recommendations for improvements to the tool based on their long-standing expertise working with local governments on local sustainability plans and circular economy projects. ‍The ten cities participating in the pilot include:1. Accra, Ghana 2. Cape Town, South Africa 3. Nairobi, Kenya 4. Rabat, Morocco 5. Batangas, Philippines 6. Bogor City, Indonesia 7. Bogor Regency, Indonesia 8. Quezon, Philippines 9. Bonn, Germany10. Turku, Finland ‍“We are excited to be testing the Circle City Scan Tool to identify priorities for the circular economy transition that complements Batangas City's ambition to be a liveable green city vis-a-vis being a premium agro and highly industrialised city. There is a pressing need to strike a balance between being eco-friendly and safe and urbanisation.” says Mayor Beverley Rose A. Dimacuha from Batangas City, one of the 10 pilot cities.ICLEI experts will guide the pilot cities through the tool, support data collection and stakeholders engagement. The analysis will provide the pilot cities with an overview of how much of the materials flowing through their jurisdiction are consumed and wasted, and where they can intervene to shift their economies toward circularity.‍“The Circle City Scan Tool will enable us to learn more about the circular economy and further advance our environmental sustainability initiatives” says Ms. Andrea Valentine A. Villaroman from the Environmental Protection and Waste Management Department of Quezon, one of the pilot cities.“Through the piloting of the Circle City Scan Tool we aim at identifying additional, more qualitative features that could be integrated into the platform to make it as collaborative and inclusive as possible, in line with how we frame Circular Development across our network.” Burcu Tuncer, Head of Circular Development at ICLEI World Secretariat. Circle Economy and ICLEI will work together to incorporate these additional features and resources to complement the tool in the lead up to the ICLEI World Congress 2021.“This exciting collaboration with ICLEI will provide valuable insights into cities’ circular economy needs, which will help to strengthen the tool and make it more useful to a wider range of cities. In time, we hope that the tool will help ICLEI’s regional offices to guide many more cities on their journey toward circularity, creating positive impact at a global scale.” Blake Robinson, Senior Strategist at Circle Economy ‍If your city needs guidance on its transition to a circular economy, please let us know what kind of help you need via this 15 min survey.--About ICLEI – Local Governments for Sustainability: ICLEI is a global network of more than 1,750 local and regional governments committed to sustainable urban development. Active in 100+ countries, ICLEI influences sustainability policy and drives local action for low emission, nature-based, equitable, resilient and circular development. ICLEI's Members and team of experts work together through peer exchange, partnerships and capacity building to create systemic change for urban sustainability.About Circle Economy: Circle Economy is an Amsterdam-based impact organisation that connects and empowers a global community to create the conditions for systemic transformation toward a circular economy. Their Cities Programme works with businesses, cities and governments to identify opportunities for transition, and provides a powerful combination of practical and scalable solutions to turn these opportunities into reality. Circle Economy has helped over 20 cities on their journey toward a circular economy.

             Received by GEF 

  Preparation Grant Approved 

  Concept Approved 

  Project Approved for Implementation 
          


Morocco

Souss-Massa

Global Environment Facility

United Nations Development Programme

Ministry of Agriculture (Morocco)

'The project aimed at conserving agro-biodiversity and promoting local products (“produits du terroir”), through payments for ecosystem services in the Souss-Massa Drâa Region. Identified products of local and global importance are Argan (Argania spinosa) and honey.' [1]

Policy case

Impact on the health and happiness of human populations

Well-being

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)

Engage with the government on circular policies and programmes

Government collaboration

Engaging in discussions with industry stakeholders to share circular economy best practices and push the industry towards greater circularity

Guidance, dialogue with industry stakeholders

Roadmaps and strategies and targets

Metrics and indicators to measure progress

Impacts

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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

 Mzee Vedaste Hagiriryayo, 62, a resident of Kanombe Village in Karenge Cell, Jarama Sector of Ngoma District had until last year only known two sources of energy; firewood and kerosene. Today, this is a story of the past to the senior citizen and many others in his village after they were connected to solar energy in June last year, courtesy of Rwanda National Police. More than 34, 000 households were connected with solar energy across the country during the 2017 Police Week that focused on community development. “Police brought the sun to my house and my village; the sun that shines at night,” says Hagiriryayo. “Izo mpfura ntawazivuga nabi,” he says, loosely meaning that ‘no one can speak ill of our police.’ Located some 150km from Kigali in the undulating hills of Eastern Province, Kanombe is in many respects a throwback to times long passed. Shining corrugated iron-clad mud and wattle houses flank the narrow foot paths that run down the valley to the picturesque Lake Rweru. Despite the several hours of bright sunshine every day, all-year-round, Karenge is the only place that had never had electricity, of the 10 cells that make up Jarama Sector. Residents are progressively breaking away from pre-industrial era to commercial farming. The one-cow-per-poor-family scheme is also changing lives of some families that have shifted to use of biogas out of livestock wastes. With renewable energy, business activity booming and social infrastructures like the health centre being guaranteed of electricity, the welfare is steadily changing in Kanombe Village. Security, health, education and businesses are changing face for better while communication and information through more acquisition of TV sets and handsets keep residents informed on government development programmes. “Our children can now do their homework and revise at night; they are doing well in school,” says another resident. “Children used to go to bed at the same time as the rest...very early, now they have plenty of time to revise,” he adds. The solar power is also empowering villagers to create newer sources of income, or small enterprises. “The solar electricity also enabled entrepreneurs to establish groceries, people enjoy their drinks watching TV, and businesses are open for relatively more hours.” “Karenge, being a farming and fishing community, the use of cell-phones for communication with business partners is very important,” says Anita Mukasine, the cell executive secretary. Like Hagiriryayo, Jean Bosco Rutagwena, the village chief, says residents have reported incremental and significant savings because they no longer have to rely on expensive and dirty kerosene for home lighting, and they no longer have to move distances to charge telephone batteries. Lives saved The community is also seeing better health outcomes moving from archaic sources of energy, such as kerosene lamps. That there are advantages of environmental protection goes without saying. Pascal Kirusha, the head of Sangaza health centre, confirms that the arrival of solar power has significantly reduced the number of respiratory cases received at the centre. Sangaza is one of the 30 health centres that were also lit with solar energy during the RNP 17th anniversary activities, last year. Kirusha says that, with solar energy providing reliable electricity supply, the health centre can properly handle most emergencies, even at night, and has helped raise awareness on the availability of prenatal care. “Patients have since increased and have confidence in our services due to the differences brought about by lighting alone. For example, no case of an expectant mother delivering from home was reported last month in all the 24 villages served by the health centre,” says Kirusha. “Before solar was installed, patients used to go to a tertiary care hospital if they needed services, and that usually meant at least half a day’s journey; others would deliver from their homes.” Today, the centre, with seven health workers, serves a population of close to 15,000, and receives over 150 patients daily. Previously, the health centre would spend about Rwf800, 000 from its monthly gross income of Rwf2 million, on petrol to power the generator, according to Kirusha, which was saved with the coming of solar energy. “We now buy only 10 litres a month for sterilisation of medical tools and emergencies,” he says. “In cases when our generator would get faulty, we would use the light from our mobile telephones at our labour section, a potentially dangerous scenario, especially when the baby is in an awkward position, or while the mother’s cervix is small and you can’t see properly. Thankfully, with solar energy, our generator serves as backup,” explains Claudette Nambage, a midwife at the centre. Solar power makes it easy to deploy for multiple rural applications, impacting key facets of rural population such as productivity, safety, health benefits, and livelihood. It is evident that adoption of solar power as an alternative source of energy could alter the socio-economic fabric of rural Rwanda, for the better and if this pace is maintained, rural Rwanda is indeed headed for ‘sunny days’. editorial@newtimes.co.rw 

On the shores of Lake Victoria, just outside Kampala city in Uganda, State Minister for Environment of Uganda Beatrice Anywar addressed over 300 African entrepreneurs and policymakers gathered in February 2020 at the Switch Africa Green regional forum to discuss how to advance green economy in Africa.
Echoing the main lesson learned from phase 1 of Switch Africa Green, a project led by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and supported by the European Union to assist Africa’s transition into green economy, Anywar said the transition to a green economy requires actions and significant technological, behavioural and systemic change at all levels of the society, including citizens, public and the private sector.
“It has been established that more radical innovations come from micro, small and medium enterprises,” Anywar said. “[These enterprises] play a key role in the transition to green economies and sustainable development in general by greening the existing business models and creating new business models that are not only economically profitable but also create environmental and social inclusiveness.” 
In Africa, 125 million tonnes of municipal solid waste is said to have been generated in 2012. According to the UNEP’s Africa Waste Management Outlook, Africa only recycles 4 per cent of its waste. About 90 per cent is disposed of on land, often in uncontrolled dumpsites, while the rest is being unaccounted for. The report urges African countries to find innovative solutions to address its waste management challenges and to prepare for the expected growth in waste generation on the continent, expected to double by 2025.
Supported by Switch Africa Green project, Matilda Payne has managed to establish MH Couture, a start-up that finds alternative uses for environmental waste by turning trash to treasure.
“The Kampala forum was insightful and truly informative,” said Payne. “It enabled us to showcase our work through exhibitions, to not only reach potential customers, but also to meet like-minded entrepreneurs who shared lessons learned from their own start-ups.
Payne has benefitted from Switch Africa Green project through training, which has taught her how to expand her businesses by increasing production. Switch Africa Green helps reduce poverty, especially among women in Ghana, by empowering them through training in their field of work while creating employment and mentorship. Today, MH Couture employs 7 permanent and 68 part time workers to meet the fast-growing demand for their creations.
Implementation of the SWITCH Africa Green programme is guided by both global and regional settings and priorities. During the 17th Ministerial session of the African Ministerial Conference on the Environment in Durban, South Africa in 2019, a regional framework on circular economy was proposed, to focus on contextualizing the circular economy to the needs of African countries.
“Circular Economy approaches is part of Africa’s transformative efforts to sustainable development. Switch Africa Green programme already promotes circularity approaches such as the promotion of biogas technology, e-waste management, promoting organic agriculture, green manufacturing and eco-industrial park and standards and labelling in the hotel industry, among others,” said Patrick Mwesigye, UNEP Africa Office Regional Coordinator on Resource Efficiency. “It is important that the lessons learned, and knowledge acquired is shared among countries for regional harmonization of policies to ensure maximum impact and effective implementation at national level.”
SWITCH Africa Green programme works with Burkina Faso, Ethiopia, Ghana, Kenya, Mauritius, South Africa and Uganda to achieve sustainable development by engaging in transition towards an inclusive green economy, based on sustainable consumption and production patterns.
For Herman Agathe, a young entrepreneur running an integrated farm in Roche Bon Dieu, Rodrigues Island, Switch Africa Green could not have come at a better time. Through the project, Agathe was at the Centre de Formation Agricole Frère Remy, trained in sustainable consumption and production practices in different aspects of farming straddling horticulture, agricultural practices and poultry farming, pig rearing and all related integrated farming activities among others.
“It was a successful forum. I had the idea to start a new project and my participation was an eye opener,” Herman said.
Agathe doubled his sales from around MUR15,000 (US$380) yearly in 2014 to MUR 30,000 (US$760) three years after his initial training. No longer dependent on his parents, he is focusing on acquiring a larger piece of land to grow his business.
Watching the calm waters of Lake Newton, Owino takes stock of his immediate surroundings. Across the lake in Kisumu, a small industrial port city in Kenya, the energetic entrepreneur runs a thriving leather business that specializes in shoes, jackets and other accessories made from fish waste. What is unique about his leather business is that Owino uses the most unlikely of raw materials; fish leather. On top of employing over 300 local women and 17 factory staff, Owino is creating market opportunities for 80 local farmers who supply the leather factory with a range of sustainable products. Recently, he has started buying papain, a papaya extract used as a leather softener, and bleaching agents and dyes made from moringa, hibiscus and other locally grown plants.
“For a long time, we have associated our trade with small-scale, low profit, minimal economic impact and more of a means to survive from hand to mouth,” Owino, Secretary of Kisumu Leather Dealers Association says. “Through the implementation of the project, we have been inspired to run more professional and accountable establishments with better-equipped associations that meet the demands of our clientele.”
That day, Owino was preparing to meet a foreign investor whom he has been dealing with, with big industrial investments in the offing to spur his business.
Amidst the vibrant African drums and dance from Uganda, the Switch Africa Green regional forum came to end with the Kampala Communique. It calls for the development of a regional circular economy framework to harmonize policies and institutions to facilitate its implementation and governance across the continent.  Policymakers also agreed to develop regional green financing guidelines for use by financial institutions and training on integration of sustainability in credit management among others.
About Switch Africa Green
The SWITCH Africa Green programme supports seven African countries—Burkina Faso, Ethiopia, Ghana, Kenya, Mauritius, South Africa and Uganda—to achieve sustainable development by engaging in transition towards an inclusive green economy based on sustainable consumption and production patterns. It aims to turn environmental challenges into opportunities based on the understanding that an inclusive green economy is at the core of sustainable development and has multiple benefits next to environmental protection, notably growth and jobs creation, poverty reduction, economic diversification and income generation. The programme focuses on key enablers for the transition, including access to green financing, enabling policies and standards, circular practices, awareness and skills on eco-entrepreneurship, and innovative solutions. 
SWITCH Africa Green is developed and funded by the European Commission and implemented by UNEP. Project partners include United Nations agencies, notably the United Nations Development Programme and the United Nations Office for Project Services, One Planet network and the African Roundtable on Sustainable Consumption and Production. The main governmental partners are the relevant ministries (environment, industry, agriculture, tourism, economy and finance) as well as national environmental protection or management agencies and authorities.
For more information, please contact Mohamed Atani, Head of Communication for Africa, UNEP.


South Africa

Kenya

Ghana

Uganda

Burkina Faso

Mauritius

The United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) is the leading global environmental authority that sets the global environmental agenda, promotes the coherent implementation of the environmental dimension of sustainable development within the United Nations system, and serves as an authoritative advocate for the global environment.

Our mission is to provide leadership and encourage partnership in caring for the environment by inspiring, informing, and enabling nations and peoples to improve their quality of life without compromising that of future generations.

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United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP)

The overall objective of SWITCH Africa Green is to support 6 countries in Africa to achieve sustainable development by engaging in transition towards an inclusive circular and green economy. The countries that are part of the United Nation's program are Uganda, Kenya, Mauritius, South Africa, Ghana, and Burkina Faso. The plans for each country are all related to either one of the priority sectors for sustainable improvement: manufacturing, integrated waste management, tourism, and agriculture. The project has already achieved great support for the private sector through investment strategies and projects.

SWITCH Africa Green Programme

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

Increase Awareness

Collecting waste from households and businesses by means of refuse bins, wheeled bins, containers, etc., and providing treatment, incineration, materials recovery and reclamation, and disposal of hazardous and non-hazardous waste

Waste Management

Operating networks and software that enable the exchange and broadcasting of information, such as entertainment and internet software, television, cable, satellite or radio broadcasting systems, and cellular, wireless and/or fixed-line telecommunications services

Software and Communications

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

Employ online platforms to connect and improve information sharing between stakeholders

Digital platforms

Integrating circular economy thinking into employee evaluations that are tied to professional compensation

Financial incentives tied to circular economy

Developing or utilising online platforms to enable circular economy opportunities through information, product or service offering

Online platforms

Implement innovation programmes

  E-waste - PXFUEL   CAIRO – 14 March 2020: Minister of Environment Yasmine Fouad said that the expansion in the use of solar panels to generate electricity will result in increased e-waste, which requires a speed response to challenges facing the sustainable management of this waste. The minister added that appropriate solutions in cooperation with stakeholders and business partners are needed. She explained that the ministry has started developing legislation to convert the informal sector working in e-waste management into an official sector in cooperation with the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) through the project for the safe disposal of electronic waste. Minister Fouad added that a total of seven factors have obtained necessary approvals to safely recycle electronic waste. She said that efforts are underway to implement E-Tadweer application, which enables citizens to get rid of their e-waste and gain incentives in the form of discount vouchers that can be used in purchasing electrical appliances. This comes in coincidence with the government’s announced strategy to safely get rid of electronic waste and agriculture leftovers, simultaneously while launching its new solid waste collection system in different governorates. The Ministry of Environment sets out the strategy in coordination with a number of concerned ministries. Minister of Environment Yasmine Fouad stated that the ministry is working to solve the problem of different types of waste in parallel. She said that the ministry is coordinating with the Ministry of Telecommunications on a strategy to safely get rid of the electronic waste, which will be announced within two months. As per the new system, citizens will not dispose any old computers, mobile phones or I pads in the trash cans. “The ministry is keen on launching awareness campaigns to raise public awareness, and provide them with alternatives,” she said, adding that the ministry is coordinating with the Ministry of Health to manage medical waste, where new technologies will substitute burning the waste. The Egyptian Ministry of Environment previously announced that it will start applying the government’s plan to close the unsafe landfills in Cairo and Giza and change them into facilities of public services. Late January 2020, Minister of Local Development Mahmoud Sharawy confirmed in the Parliament’s plenary session that the ministry allocated LE 12 billion [more than US$ 761 million] to implement a new garbage system. He asserted that the ministry eliminated more than 26 landfills nationwide. In June 2019, six cities in the Red Sea governorate, southeast Egypt, started to apply measures to limit the use of plastic, namely Hurghada, Safaga, Marsa Alam, Qoseir, RasGhareb and Shalateen.

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Egypt

Egyptian Ministry of Environment

Egyptian Ministry of Communications and Information Technology 

Egypt's Capital is facing a waste management problem over the past years. In partnership with the United Nations Development Program, the informal sector working in the waste collection is integrated into the formal economy to strengthen the waste management sector. Another strategy to boost the correct disposal of waste is the introduction of a recycling app to encourage Cairo's citizens to swap waste for consumer products.

Egypt launched an E-waste recycling app for its citizens 

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Circle Economy and ICLEI have partnered up to initiate the go to knowledge hub of case studies about the circular economy in cities. The Cities Collection is a repository of case studies that demonstrate the role of cities in the circular transition, and includes policies, business cases and research articles. Cases in the Collection flow into an ecosystem of digital products which support users in transitioning cities to circularity, for example [Ganbatte](https://ganbatte.world/cities/) and <a href="https://circulars.iclei.org/" target="_blank">ICLEI Circulars</a>, both part of the <a href="https://circulars.iclei.org/circle-lab-for-cities/" target = _blank">Circle Lab for Cities Programme.</a>

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Circular Cities

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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

Reduced use of virgin materials and/or an increase of the use of secondary and bio-based materials

Reduce Material Consumption (SDG12)

Reduced use and withdrawal of water and rate of recycling and reuse of water

Save Water (SDG6)

Reduced use of fossil fuel energy sources and/or increased use of renewable energy

Reduce Energy Consumption

Societal Services

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

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

Industry peers to industry peer collaboration to create joint value and identify synergies

Industry collaboration

Working together with stakeholders and parties in other unrelated industries to implement circular economy strategies and opportunities

Cross-industry projects, pilots

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

Joint industry ventures, projects, pilots

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

Manage

Infrastructure

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

Mobilise

Visions and Ambitions

 Spatial Planning

Redesign systems to lay the foundation for circular activities and enable the transition to a circular economy 

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Rethink

Do better with less by using and supporting infrastructure, processes and products that are designed to minimize material, water and energy use and waste generation from production to end of use


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Reduce

Eliminate waste by maximizing the recovery of resources at the end of the use phase so that they can be reintroduced into production processes


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Recover

Facilitate cross-collaboration by engaging city departments, industries and businesses on ambitious, closed-loop circular projects.

Support closed-loop systems and cross-sectoral synergies

Put enablers in place that allow circular businessesto grow, thrive and innovate (e.g. incubators, start-up funding, partnerships, innovation deals, business capacity building and testing groundsfor new business models).


Support circular and resource-efficient business innovations

Incorporate extended use in project planning phases; create or update city policies to allow for extended use.


Design and regulate for separation and recovery

The food system nourishes populations and employs 50% of the global workforce, but:
- it currently drives a quarter of the overshoot on the climate change planetary boundary due to its greenhouse gas (GHG) production, 
- animal farming alone uses over one-quarter of all land, equivalent to the size of the Americas,
- nearly a quarter of freshwater resources are lost due to rampant food waste, and
- it is the single largest driver of biodiversity loss.

A circular food system must address the whole value chain, from production to consumption to waste management. The four key solutions for the food system are:
- Put healthier, satiating foods first: Prioritise satiating and healthy foods with a lower environmental impact—ideally shifting calories from meat, fish, and dairy towards cereals, fruits, vegetables, and nuts.
- Go local, seasonal, and organic: Prioritise the production and consumption of local, seasonal, and organic produce (sometimes in combination with GMO to reduce pests and disease loss on crops), which can lead to a significantly reduced need for chemical inputs, fuels, and processing services that contribute to environmental impacts.
- Mainstream regenerative agriculture: Scale up agricultural practices that regenerate ecosystems, recirculate nutrients and sequester carbon by design. 
- End avoidable food waste: Minimise food loss and valorise waste following the food waste hierarchy along the supply chain and at the consumer level through better management of transport and storage, more refrigeration and smart planning, and technology at the consumer and food service levels.



🍏 Food Systems

Cities consume about 75% of global energy and emit between 50% and 60% of global greenhouse gases (UN-Habitat). To reduce the negative impact of their energy consumption, cities need to shift away from fossil fuels and move towards renewable energy sources. Such a shift will help cities work towards their climate change mitigation and adaptation action plans. Renewable energy technologies such as wind, water, solar, and geothermal can also help improve access to energy in vulnerable and marginalised neighbourhoods through, for example, decentralised, off-grid solutions.

Renewable energy technologies can harvest the energy in nature’s processes, such as wind, and solar radiation and geothermal heat, that can be replenished within a human lifespan. In contrast, fossil fuels are materials that are not replenished within a human lifespan and are combusted for energy, losing the fuel material and resulting in emissions.

Local governments can develop sustainable energy plans, considering different energy resources and requirements, to develop a robust strategy for the development of renewable energy technologies and infrastructure throughout the city. They can also institute specific legislation and tax systems to regulate energy production and consumption, incentivise research and development of cleaner, more efficient technologies. Via Power Purchase Agreements cities can buy renewable energy from green energy providers and fix the price in order to provide security to financial institutions to finance renewable energy infrastructure. Furthermore, increasing awareness and facilitating capacity-building on planning urban sustainable energy projects can help the uptake of clean energy across the city by different stakeholders—from citizens to businesses and institutions. Facilitating collaboration, then, will be crucial, since private companies operate most of the world’s energy systems.


⚡ Energy Systems

The built environment, including housing, commercial buildings, and the necessary infrastructure for mobility, is essential for our livelihoods, but:
- the extraction of minerals used to produce construction materials is responsible for a quarter of global land use change,
- approximately 40% of global GHG emissions can be attributed to buildings’ construction, use and demolition, and
- construction and demolition processes drive nearly one-third of all material consumption. 

Making the built environment more circular must prioritise a heavy reduction in material use—while also closing the loop on materials and bringing secondary and renewable material choices to the fore. Our four key solutions for the built environment are:
- Make the most of what already exists: Make the most of existing materials by reusing, repurposing, upgrading and renovating following circular approaches. Where new builds are needed, use secondary materials and be as efficient as possible with urban planning solutions that follow circular design principles so that buildings can be reused, repurposed, and easily disassembled in the future.
- Be as energy efficient as possible: From the design phase, utilise circular strategies to create material- and energy efficient buildings. Couple these designs with a rollout of clean energy solutions, and prioritise energy-efficient appliances and retrofitting. 
- Utilise secondary materials: Maximise the high-value reuse of buildings and components where possible. Ideally, enable the utilisation of construction and demolition outputs and ensure that as much of it as possible is recycled to avoid the need for virgin materials, such as sand and gravel.
- Prioritise circular materials and approaches: Transition to using renewable wood, timber or cross-laminated timber instead of steel and concrete, or move to other locally available materials. Utilise mainstream modular construction and prioritise lightweight frames and structures to reduce cement and steel use, as well as green roofs where possible.



🏢 Built Environment

Manufactured goods, such as vehicles, textiles, appliances and equipment and their associated production processes are big employers but:
- production processes often rely on fossil fuels and currently drive one-third of the overshoot on the climate change planetary boundary due to its GHG production, 
- material- and energy-intensive industrial activities are linked to deforestation and drive 15% on both the land use and freshwater planetary boundaries, 
- manufacturing goods results in substantial amounts of hazardous industrial waste and leaks chemicals into the environment.

Here, circular solutions must tackle the full value chain, but material demand must also shrink: this will necessitate a societal shift to favouring sufficiency over excess and reducing consumption to sustainable levels. Our four key solutions for manufactured goods are:
- Mainstream industrial symbiosis and efficiency : Achieve process improvements, scrap diversion and reduction in yield losses through greater industrial symbiosis and efficiency. Foster tighter collaboration within and between industries to deliver powerful material and emissions savings.
- Extend the lifetime of machinery, equipment, and goods: Maximise the lifetime of goods that serve our daily needs to bring a number of environmental benefits. 
- Buy what's needed: Reduce the number of purchases of common electronic goods, appliances, and other equipment to sufficiency levels. 
- Eschew fast fashion in favour of sustainable textiles: Drastically reduce new clothing purchases. All used clothing should go on to be repaired, reused or, if needed, recycled appropriately. Prioritise natural and local textile manufacturing, as well as higher-quality and more durable garments. 




👕📱 Consumer Goods

The demand for transport is rising globally—but current modes are heavily material- and fossil-fuels-intensive. Emissions from the transport system could grow by 60% by 2050, and transport is the number-one user of oil worldwide. GHG emissions result not only in warming global temperatures, but also in ocean acidification, which has severe consequences for entire ecosystems and further destabilises our climate. The transport system also drives land-use change and biodiversity loss through the development of infrastructure—also releasing harmful pollutants into the ocean. Key circular solutions:

- Embrace and enable car-free lifestyles
- Invest in high-quality public transport
- Rethink unnecessary air travel
- Electrify remaining vehicles

🚌 Mobility Systems

Businesses

Communities

Governments

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

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

Thematic Areas

City Stakeholders

By MacDonald DzirutweWEDZA, Zimbabwe (Reuters) - In the rural Zimbabwe district of Wedza, a new electric-powered motorcycle is helping bring income to poor women and easing the burden of looking after families.The three-wheeler, known as Hamba (Go), powered by a solar-charged lithium ion battery, is being piloted by start-up Mobility for Africa, which leases the motorcycle to women in groups of up to five.The women can now carry farm produce to markets further away from home, offer transportation services to villagers and use the motorcycle for domestic chores.Mary Mhuka, a 58-year-old mother-of-six who is leasing the Hamba with her daughter-in-law and a neighbour, said the motorcycle had eased the strain of domestic work.She could now sell her vegetables at a business centre 15 km away for more money than she would get locally.“We used to carry firewood on our heads for very long distances ... but now it’s much easier as this motorcycle has taken away that burden,” she told Reuters after a trip to the community water borehole.Fadzai Mavhuna, the Hamba pilot coordinator since February 2019, said women paid an equivalent of $15 a month as a group to lease the Hamba, which has a maximum range of 100 km.It costs between $0.50 and $1 to change the motorcycle batteries, which are charged at a solar-powered station.Mobility for Africa is now in the second phase of the pilot project before it can go commercial. The Hamba is assembled in Harare with kits made in China and will be sold for $1,500.“Some of the women have increased their income because they have embarked on ... projects like baking, tailoring and horticulture,” said Mavhuna.Pamhidzai Mutunya, a farm health worker, said before the arrival of Hamba, many women gave birth at home while others had to walk 12 km to the nearest clinic because there was no transport.“We now have fewer cases of pregnant women giving birth at home,” the 35-year-old mother-of-three said.She ferries an average of four people to the clinic a day and also collects medicines for patients.

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Africa

Benin

Semi

 UNFPA

World Bank

United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF)

Sèmè City 

PricewaterhouseCoopers 

The Tony Elumelu Foundation

Smart Africa

Africa Design School

IREX

The government of Benin developed a strategy to create a new innovation hub in Sèmè City which is located in a peri-urban area between the economic capital of Benin, Cotonou, the administrative capital of Benin, Port-Novo, and the capital of Nigeria, Lagos. It is designed and developed as a sustainable smart city with state-of-the art learning, residential, commercial and recreational facilities. At the end of 2021, the ecocity will be in operation and will offer a unique environment for experimentation of innovative solutions and emerging technology in areas such as renewable energy, eco¬construction, mobility, waste management, circular economy or urban agriculture.&nbsp;provide citizens with new jobs and an innovation hub as an open-air laboratory with demonstrators of innovative solutions.

Sèmè-Podji - An African Eco-City for resource-efficiency and closed-loop systems

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

Innovation

Engage with the local community where facilities or offices are located

Community collaboration

Working together with customers to jointly create products fit for them

Co-creation

Participating in government programmes that support and advance the circular economy

Government programmes

The city of Bahir Dar engaged in open innovation with citizens to design systemic innovative solutions to the problem of waste management services. This problem is particularly pertinent in newly developed areas, which may not have road infrastructure complicating the issue of access, especially when it rains.