Policy case

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

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

Biodiversity

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

Replace freshwater with less impactful alternatives and enact water efficiency measures

Regenerative water

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

Regenerative energy

Engage with the government on circular policies and programmes

Government collaboration

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

Renewable energy, fuels

Participating in government programmes that support and advance the circular economy

Government programmes

'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

Roadmaps and strategies and targets

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

Regenerate

Impacts

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Industries

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

Policy Instruments

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

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


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


Key elements of the circular economy

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

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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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On the side-lines of the African Ministers Conference on Environment (AMCEN), held in Cairo from 16 to 19 April 2016, Egypt launched a national strategy on Green Economy. African leaders at AMCEN called for the promotion of a clear development vision for Africa in the context of the international sustainability agenda, and Egypt took an important step in this direction with the release of the national strategy for green economy.The sixth special session of AMCEN, held under the theme "Agenda 2030 and Paris Agreement: From policy to implementation in Africa”, gathered over 50 African leaders to tackle sustainable development, desertification, climate change, and to deliberate on how to move forward with regard to the implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.During AMCEN, Egypt’s Prime Minister Sherif Ismail stated that the environment is one of the cornerstones of the Egypt 2030 strategy: “The strategy falls in line with the climate change goals, which include advancing the quality of life and providing clean sources of energy.”The new strategy for a gradual transition into a Green Economy was launched in partnership with the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and the Centre for Environment and Development for the Arab Region and Europe (CEDARE). The strategy has four key focus areas:  water, agriculture, waste, and energy, and anticipates the implementation of 28 projects across 13 governmental facilities.According to an official statement released by Egypt’s Ministry of Environment, the strategy includes a gradual adaption of governmental procurement towards environmentally-friendly products and sustainable technologies.However, there are challenges facing the implementation of  Egypt’s plan to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. In particular, environmentalists have expressed concern about the expansion in the use of coal instead of low-carbon fuel sources.Upcoming coal expansion plans include new coal-fired power stations currently under construction, and at least 20 cement factories have recently been granted approvals to start using coal. This has been a concern for citizens living near industrial facilities and power stations who will face increasing air pollution. The expansion of coal costs in Egypt was estimated to reach EGP 2 Billion annually, according to a study by a consultant to the Environment Ministry in 2014.Earlier in April, the Environment Ministry announced its future energy mix strategy which includes radical changes: the percentage of fossil fuel energy use will decrease from 95% to a maximum of 50%. An increase will also be made in renewable energy resources to 30%, nuclear energy to 5%, and coal to 15% at most.National level commitments for a green economic transition are necessary to meet the ambitious global goals of both the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the Paris Agreement under the UNFCCC. Egypt’s Strategy for Green Economy represents a key step forward in pursuing an economic development path that takes into account environmental conservation and ecological scarcities, and supports the creation of an equitable and resilient society.Source: http://www.dailynewsegypt.com/2016/04/19/egypt-concludes-sixth-amcen-spe... 

Egypt

Ministry of Environment, Egypt

The Partnership for Action on Green Economy (PAGE) was launched in 2013 as a response to the call at Rio+20 to support those countries wishing to embark on greener and more inclusive growth trajectories.

PAGE seeks to put sustainability at the heart of economic policies and practices to advance the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and supports nations and regions in reframing economic policies and practices around sustainability to foster economic growth, create income and jobs, reduce poverty and inequality, and strengthen the ecological foundations of their economies. 

PAGE

In 2016, a strategy for a gradual transition towards a Green Economy was launched in partnership with the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and the&nbsp;Centre for Environment and Development for the Arab Region and Europe&nbsp;(CEDARE).&nbsp;The strategy is focusing on four key areas:&nbsp;water, agriculture, waste, and energy and includes a gradual adaption of governmental procurement towards environmentally-friendly products and sustainable technologies.