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Switching Gear Enabling Network

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Article / Report

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

Rethink the business model

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

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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       by Deborah Drew, Austin Dickerson, Sam Gillick-Daniels and Eliot Metzger - September 2020
This guidebook aims to help companies identify the stakeholders in their supply chain and recognize the effects their transition to reuse business models may have on them. It is intended to be a guide, as part of a learning process, to ensure the transition to a reuse model, a component of the circular economy, is equitable and just. The guidebook takes companies through three steps of identifying who their stakeholders are, what effects are felt by these stakeholders, and target setting to mitigate risks to these stakeholders and identify partners to support a transition to an equitable reuse business model.
               by Elizabeth Reichart and Deborah Drew - January 10, 2019One garbage truck of clothes is burned or sent to landfills every second! This linear fashion model of buying, wearing and quickly discarding clothes negatively affects people and the planet’s resources.
  
   by Deborah Drew - September 12, 2017During Fashion Week, the apparel industry's sizeable impacts on people, land and water are a topic for concern. Making fashion sustainable begins with measurement and analysis of these impacts.
  
   by Deborah Drew and Genevieve Yehounme - July 05, 2017Growth of the multi-trillion-dollar apparel industry has been fed by "fast fashion," which makes clothing cheaply and quickly with a low price-tag. Six graphics show how this trend and others can add to water stress, pollution and other environmental impacts.
  
    
     

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European Commission

In 2017, LE Europe, VVA, Ipsos, ConPolicy and Trinomics were commissioned by the European Commission to conduct a behavioural study on consumers’ engagement in the Circular Economy (CE). The objective was to provide policy-relevant insights to assist with the implementation of the EU Circular Economy Action Plan. The study sought to:1. Identify barriers and trade-offs faced by consumers when deciding whether to engage in the CE, in particular whether to purchase a more or a less durable good, whether to have a good repaired, or to discard it and buy a replacement;2. Establish the relative importance of economic, social and psychological factors that govern the extent to which consumers engage in the CE, especially purchasing durable products and seeking to repair products instead of disposing of them; and3. Propose policy tools to enable and encourage consumers to engage in CE practices related to durability and reparability.

Consumers' willingness to engage in the circular economy

Policy case

Engage with the government on circular policies and programmes

Government collaboration

Advocate for circular change

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

The Circular Cities Declaration is a commitment document from cities and regions to use the levers at our disposal coherently across the organisation to transition from a linear to a circular economy. We believe that:We need to decouple economic growth from resource useLocal and regional governments have a critical role to playA common vision of a circular economy is a useful journey guidanceThe City of Helsinki, one of the first signatories of the Circular Cities Declaration, approved its Roadmap for Circular and Sharing Economy in May 2020. The roadmap sets up goals for circularity in four central focus areas.  Learn moreLjubljana is convinced that the shift from a linear to a circular economy has a significant impact not only on production, but also on the whole social order and mentality. The City is taking a systemic and holistic approach.  Learn moreBeing one of the founding signatories of the Circular Cities Declaration, Oslo's climate ambitions go hand-in-hand with a greener and more circular economy. The City believes reducing their carbon footprint must go into everything.  Learn moreJoin this group of like-minded cities and regions, contributing to the change from a linear to a circular economy. Be a champion and commit to using the levers at our disposal coherently.  Learn more

ICLEI

The Circular Cities declaration is a commitment for cities and regions to use the levers at their disposal to transition from a linear to a circular economy. The declaration has been signed by over 30 cities throughout Europe, and brings knowledge experts towards a circular, and more resilient, future.&nbsp;

The Circular Cities Declaration

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

Ecological Impact

Reduced green house gas emissions released into the biosphere

Reduce Emissions (SDG13)

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

Reduce Material Consumption (SDG12)

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)

Extracting resources and processing them to produce materials for use bysociety

Materials and Fuels

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

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

Use waste as a resource

Solidify definitions and create frameworks to support the understanding of the circular economy across contexts and maintain cohesive systems of data sharing, processing and storing.


 Knowledge Management

Data, knowledge & information sharing

Increase standardised data collection

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

Manage

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


Strengthen and advance knowledge

Cycle strategies aim to cycle and reuse materials at their highest value: they maximise the volume of secondary materials re-entering the economy, ultimately minimising the need for virgin material inputs and therefore also narrowing flows. Of course, virgin materials will always be needed to a degree: all materials degrade and can’t be cycled infinitely, use energy, and require blending with virgin materials to maintain strength and functionality.

Cycle

Impacts

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Industries

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            Title  Data sharing for a circular economy: A project for plastic's traceability in the automotive supply chain  Author  Tramutola, Lucia (TU Delft Industrial Design Engineering; TU Delft Design Engineering)   Contributor Degree granting institution  Delft University of Technology  Date Abstract  The relevance of circular economy, in these days where the environmental impact and toll of humans’ activities is undeniable, grows steadily. Circular economy, founded on three basic principles, advocates for all materials to be kept in use for as long as possible. This takes a concrete shape, for example, in the importance of recycling materials.However, recycling materials can be a trickier business than one might think. Nowadays materials are so complex and specialized, that recycling them properly requires precise knowledge of their composition and content. In a way, then, it can be argued that the exchange of this knowledge, from material manufacturers to recyclers, is a core enabler of circular economy. As information exchanges happen mostly digital, data becomes then the key asset in this depicted scenario.Data exchanges are as well not an easy feat. Looking only at a business to business market, several obstacles refrain companies from sharing data more liberally. For once, openly sharing data exposes companies to threats from competitors and losses in their negotiating power.Circularise, the start-up this project has been developed for, has come up with a technical solution for a data exchange system that relies on a distributed ledger. Thanks to their technological protocol, circularise can enable secure collaboration between material manufacturers and the rest of the supply chain, all the way to recyclers.Despite the technological feasibility of the protocol, Circularise is struggling with finding clients. Currently the start-up has developed a value proposition that caters mainly towards material manufacturers and, as a consequence, material manufacturers are the only paying customer segment for them. In order for the protocol to have an effective impact and benefit on circular economy activities, expanding the client range is necessary for Circularise. This can be accomplished by expanding the start-up’s business model portfolio, so to speak. This means running two different business models at the same time, one being the existing one, catering to material manufacturers, and another one ensuring that a new customer segment receives an offer worth paying for.This is the opportunity this project is built around. In the course of this graduation project a digital platform has being design and is explained in this report, together with a new business model for Circularise to cater to automotive OEMs with a tailored offer.  Subject To reference this document use:  http://resolver.tudelft.nl/uuid:658cd142-0a07-4884-8366-5c60eeeb5e5d  Part of collection Document type Rights 
 Files    /islandora/object/uuid:658cd142-0a07-4884-8366-5c60eeeb5e5d/datastream/OBJ1/view    
 
    

Europe

Two years following the launch of the European Commission’s Circular Economy Action Plan in 2015, a framework for monitoring progress has been developed. The framework is used to track progress and manage knowledge on the circular economy in the European Union, bringing together data from numerous regions to show where progress is maturing and where more work is needed. The tool will aid policy makers in determining success factors and setting new priorities. The framework is composed of ten different indicators in four areas: production and consumption, waste management, secondary raw materials and competitiveness and innovation.&nbsp;

European Commission monitoring framework for a circular economy

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

Social Impact

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

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

Save Water (SDG6)

Societal Services

Providing water and sewage services, including water collection and distribution, water treatment systems and sewage treatment facilities

Water and Sewage

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

Prioritise regenerative resources

Replace freshwater with less impactful alternatives and enact water efficiency measures

Regenerative water

Enacting measures that optimise water use

Water efficiency

Participating in government programmes that support and advance the circular economy

Government programmes

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


Regulate

 Regulation

Environmental assessment & permits

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

Includes a variety of actions (e.g. campaigns, information sharing, public events) that encourage city residents and visitors to build sustainable practices into their daily lives

Enable sustainable lifestyles

Ensure that infrastructure and built assets in the city are designed and upgraded to be as resource-efficient as possible.

Design infrastructure and the built environment for resource efficiency

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

Communities

Water system refers to the water supply network for storing and supplying water for use by the community.

One of the greatest challenges of a city is to provide its inhabitants with safe, clean water from a limited fresh water supply. Improving the city’s water infrastructure efficiency, such as minimising leakages, reduces the strain put on the limited supply, which in turn, helps to ensure inhabitants gain access to clean and affordable water.

The water infrastructure of a city typically consists of components such as surface water diversions, wells, pumps, transmission pipes and canals, treatment and storage facilities, and distribution network elements (Burian et al.). Options for improving the efficiency of the system include investing in water loss reduction systems, creating and following a regular maintenance program, and better matching water supply and demand (Global Water Partnership).

Cities can improve the efficiency of their water system infrastructure by conducting a water audit, in which all water flows are traced and losses in the system are identified to map where the most efficiency improvements can be gained. Alongside this, asset management can be used to create a short-term and long-term strategy of investing in new equipment, refurbishing existing equipment and developing maintenance programmes to ensure infrastructure is as efficient as possible, and leaks are minimised. Such management programmes create financial transparency amongst all stakeholders and provide useful long-term planning for larger infrastructure changes (US EPA)

💧 Water Systems

One of the greatest challenges of a city is to provide its inhabitants with safe, clean water from a limited fresh water supply. Improving the city’s water infrastructure efficiency, such as minimising leakages, reduces the strain put on the limited supply, which in turn, helps to ensure inhabitants gain access to clean and affordable water.

The water infrastructure of a city typically consists of components such as surface water diversions, wells, pumps, transmission pipes and canals, treatment and storage facilities, and distribution network elements ([Burian et al.](https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/B9780123847034005098)). Options for improving the efficiency of the system include investing in water loss reduction systems, creating and following a regular maintenance program, and better matching water supply and demand ([Global Water Partnership](http://www.cawater-info.net/policybriefs/pdf/tec_brief_4_water_efficiency.pdf)).

Cities can improve the efficiency of their water system infrastructure by conducting a water audit, in which all water flows are traced and losses in the system are identified to map where the most efficiency improvements can be gained. Alongside this, asset management can be used to create a short-term and long-term strategy of investing in new equipment, refurbishing existing equipment and developing maintenance programmes to ensure infrastructure is as efficient as possible, and leaks are minimised. Such management programmes create financial transparency amongst all stakeholders and provide useful long-term planning for larger infrastructure changes ([US EPA](https://www.epa.gov/sustainable-water-infrastructure/things-local-officials-should-do-sustainable-water-infrastructure)).

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💧  Improving water infrastructure efficiency

Cities depend upon a limited fresh water supply. Although households are responsible for less than 10% of fresh water used globally, they have significant potential to influence water consumption. In addition to reducing the strain a city has on its fresh water supply, reduced household water consumption can reduce the demand on water infrastructure and in some cases, improve the availability for other households [SSWM](https://sswm.info/taxonomy/term/2658/reduce-water-consumption-at-home). 

Households can reduce their water consumption by behavioural change and by improving the efficiency of water-related equipment. Behaviour change consists of actions such as reducing shower time, using shorter cycle washing machine settings, and only using a dishwasher at full capacity. Improving the efficiency of water-related equipment can be achieved by actions such as repairing or replacing a leaking toilet, installing a water saving shower head, and replacing an inefficient washing machine with a more efficient alternative.

Cities can play a role in reducing household water consumption in many different ways. Non-price mechanisms can be used, in which water reduction is achieved without penalising households financially. This includes actions such as creating water conservation campaigns, prohibiting certain water uses (e.g. hose pipes), installing water management devices in households to restrict water to a sustainable level and restricting water centrally in more extreme circumstances. However, price-based mechanisms can also be used in which the household is subject to varying water tariffs depending on the fresh water availability [(Matikinca et al.)](https://iwaponline.com/wp/article/22/3/483/74194/Drought-response-impacts-on-household-water-use).

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💧 Reduce water use in households

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

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

     An official website of the European Union                    Back to the list The new European Consensus for Development reaffirms the EU and EU Member States commitment to boost the potential of cities as hubs for sustainable and inclusive growth and innovation, taking account of their wider rural communities and of balanced regional development. They are also committed to promote inclusive sustainable urban development to address urban inequality, focusing on those most in need, including those living in informal settlements and slums.
Indeed, with the relentless dynamics of urbanisation, global challenges including poverty alleviation, climate change and migration will mainly take place in urban locations. At the same time, urban areas are becoming spaces where mixing of cultures, exchange of knowledge, and innovative production is widespread. Well-managed sustainable urban development could offer solutions with the ability to transform global challenges into opportunities. Getting urban policies right holds the key to advancing sustainable development.
This factsheets stories show precisely what EU cooperation has done in that respect, and the tremendous work undertaken by various EU Delegations around the globe to promote the sustainable cities cause. Thanks to these Delegations for the time taken to design and fine tune these case studies.
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Africa

Togo

Lomé

Government of Togo

The European Commission supported from 2007-2020 the Government of Togo by improving flood and wastewater drainage infrastructure in Lomé. The key objectives of the urban development plan were split into two phases to promote green and resilient cities.&nbsp;The European Commission will continue to work towards strengthening urban resilience.

Drainage and wastewater infrastructure for resource efficiency in Lomé

Contribution to social parity, or impact on social disparity

Equality

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

Providing various support services for businesses and governments, such as research, testing, certification and consulting services, cleaning and maintenance services, security and protection services, legal, accounting and bookkeeping services, information management, data processing, and business process outsourcing services

Research & Commercial Services

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

Conduct research

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

Mobilise

 Convene Towards Action

Raise awareness and run information campaigns about  strategies for and impacts of the circular economy in different contexts.

Communication and awareness

      The project has started in August 2019 and will be finished in February 2021.  
     
 
The current status of the circular economy in terms of policies and private sector activities;
The potential opportunities and impacts of a transition to a circular economy in Africa;
The impacts of the circular economy in Europe on Africa in terms of opportunities and trade-offs;
The potential of Africa-EU cooperation such as policy dialogues, development cooperation and trade relations to promote circular economy development in both continents.

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English version
       
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There are a lot on interdependencies between Europe and Africa. The African continent is the EU’s fourth trading partner when it comes to export and the third when it comes to exports. The transition to a circular economy, both in the EU as well as in Africa will have large implications for the trade flows and interactions between the two continents. However, up to now there is a lack of knowledge at EU institutions with regard to the current status of circular economy development in Africa and the topic is not a priority in cooperation initiatives and programmes between Europe and Africa.&nbsp;How can collaboration and knowledge sharing be fostered between the two continents?

EU - Africa Cooperation for a Circular Economy

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This collection has been built by a community of passionate researchers, students, and industry professionals as part of <a href="https://worldcirculartextilesday.com/" target="_blank">World Circular Textiles Day</a> (WCTD). 


World Circular Textiles Day takes place every year on 8th October. Our vision is to galvanise the collective ambitions and goals of people, organisations and businesses to reach a fully circular textiles world by 2050. Our mission is to provide a framework for circularity stakeholders to develop and deliver a collaborative, evolving roadmap and to chart circularity’s momentum annually from the 8th of October until 2050.

What does fully circular by 2050 mean?
- Shared textile resources, in the form of products and raw materials, are kept in **continual circulation**.
- Virgin resources are **replaced with circular materials**.
- Dignity, equity, and equality for the **people** involved in all parts of the circular value chain.

We need to know where we stand today to chart how to get to 100% Circularity by 2050. What circular activity is currently happening in the textiles and apparel industry, and where in the world is it happening? The WCTD Collection aims to answer this question by building the world’s largest digital library of circular textiles case studies. 

World Circular Textiles Day is proud to be supported by our 2022-23 Circular Hero Partners:
[Lenzing](https://www.lenzing.com/), [Texaid](https://retailsolutions.texaid.com/), [Bank & Vogue](https://www.bankvogue.com/), [Usha yarns limited](https://ushayarns.com/), [The Conduit](https://www.theconduit.com/), and [Asia Pacific Rayon](https://www.aprayon.com/en/)

## Want to contribute to the WCTD Collection? Sign up and add your circular textiles activities.

World Circular Textiles Day

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To achieve sustainability targets, policymakers and practitioners in certain countries are introducing extended producer responsibility policy (EPR). Under such policy, producers are required to assume the costs of collection, treating, and recycling of their end-of-life products. EPR policy is generally lacking in the textiles industry, though in 2007, France was the first country to declare a legal framework for managing textile waste through EPR policy with the goal of holding textile producers responsible for the collection and recycling of end-of-use (EoU) clothing, linen, and shoes. Following France's example, other countries may follow suit and implement EPR policy as a means of managing post-consumer textiles. Without such measures and effective enforcement mechanisms to back them, producer accountability for waste management could continue to fall by the wayside.