SwitchMed Programme: Supporting sustainable consumption and production practices for a circular economy in the Mediterranean

Policy case

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

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

Mobilise

Roadmaps and strategies and targets

Public-private partnerships

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

Communication and awareness

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 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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      HomeThematic areasPolicySCP-NAPs monitoring and implementationMorocco                
To sustainable consumption and production for circular and green economies
From policy to policy implementation
National priorities: sustainable housing and construction; sustainable agriculture and food
         The process to develop an SCP-NAP kicked-off with an extensive state of the art on Sustainable Consumption and Production in Morocco and the publication of a structured report.  Based on the results of this assessment report Morocco decided to develop three distinct documents:
(I) a national framework for the promotion of sustainable Consumption and Production;
(II) a sectorial ten-year action plan for agriculture and agri-food;
(III) a sectorial ten-year action plan for eco-construction and sustainable buildings.
These national documents were built upon already existing and validated national strategies and plans to assure coherence, sustainability and implementation of the plans and followed an in-depth consultation process involving a large and diverse group of national stakeholders in Morocco (government, private sector, civil society, media, academia).SCP National Framework
The process of developing the MCPD National Framework Plan for Morocco made it possible to carry out a cross-analysis of production and consumption patterns and to define seven strategic orientations that provide a reference framework and actions to promote SCP in Morocco. Sectorial ten-year action plan for sustainable agriculture and food in Morocco
Six strategic axes have been formulated in the action plan aimed at strengthening Moroccan agricultural policy and the setting up of instruments and mechanisms for the development of a sustainable agriculture and raising awareness of the consumers for purchasing more environmentally friendly food:

Improving the efficiency and sustainability of resources through sustainable production practices;
Integration of climate change (mitigation and adaptation) into agricultural production practices;
Promotion of the circular economy to optimize the flow of material and energy in the production and consumption chains;
Strengthening skills and improving green employability and entrepreneurship in different parts of the food system;
Development of certification instruments, organic labeling and eco-labeling;
Promotion of sustainable food and waste management.

Sectorial ten-year action plan for eco-construction and sustainable buildings in Morocco
The implementation of the action plan and 5 strategic axes aim to promote a global eco-design approach to buildings in Morocco and the progressive development of a public and private park of sustainable buildings. The strategic axes concern all stakeholders involved in the construction and construction sector. The different phases of the process included:

Consideration of resource efficiency in architectural design;
Design of low carbon and climate resilient buildings;
Improvement of the internal environment;
Developing accompanying devices;
Capacity Building for Stakeholders;
 

Palestine

Egypt

Tunisia

Jordan

Israel

Morocco

Lebanon

Algeria

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)

United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO)

‘’The SwitchMed initiative aims at achieving a circular economy in the southern Mediterranean by changing the way goods and services are produced and consumed. In order to achieve this, the initiative provides tools and services directly to the private sector, supports an enabling policy environment, and facilitates exchange of information among partners and key stakeholders.' [1]

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

Increase Awareness

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

Reduce Energy Consumption

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

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

Integrate principles of circularity into primary, secondary and tertiary curriculum and conduct workplace trainings

 Education and Curriculum

Circular Economy in school programmes

Develop regenerative infrastructure

Impacts

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Industries

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In Kenya, over 70 universities are being called on by the UN Environment Programme and the Kenyan Government to work together and transform their campuses to be the “greenest in the world”. This comes as Strathmore University in Nairobi has put in place one of the greenest campuses in Africa and is offering its support to other Kenyan universities.
“Universities across Africa can run on the power of the sun and set new standards for sustainability,” says Professor da Silva of Strathmore University. “But it’s just not on the roofs of our campuses that we need to take action. We also need to support students to take action in support of the planet in their personal lives.”
Strathmore University set up its own 600-kilowatt photovoltaic grid tie system about five years ago and is not only enjoying free energy from the sun but also selling the excess to Kenya Power under a 20-year contract.
Another initiative on campus involves “green buildings” which utilize natural lighting, water evaporation cooling systems and rain water, making them much more affordable to run than conventional buildings. Students and faculty members are also working together on projects around plastic recycling and using food left-overs to produce natural gas.
Strathmore University students, pictured here with the Flipi-Flopi boat made of recycled marine plastic, organized a garbage clean up in their community. Photo by Canaan Owuor, Strathmore University student.Support is now growing to re-establish the Kenya Green University Network in the country with network members including 18 Universities, such as Karatina University, University of Nairobi and Kenyatta University. At a recent meeting, they
committed to a new plan of action including greening campus operations while also enhancing student engagement and learning.
Apart from the desire to go green, many universities are seeing the shift to adopting green technologies as a way to reduce costs and further sustainability. Strathmore University and Karatina University were selected to lead the effort to commit universities to going green.
Working closely with the Ministry of Environment and the National Environment Management Authority, UN Environment will be hosting a Kenya University Summit in the coming months, calling on other Kenyan universities to join the network.
“Kenyan universities not only define the learning and careers of the next generation, they can also shape their behaviours,” says Juliette Biao, Africa Director for UN Environment. “We look forward to supporting the Green University Network to inspire Kenya’s students and to become a point of reference to other universities on the continent.”
Representatives of 18 Kenyan universities met at the UN compound in Nairobi in June 2019 to agree a new plan of action including greening campus operations while also enhancing student engagement and learning. Photo by Carina Mutschele.Professor Aloo-Obudho from Karatina University says: “The [Kenya Green University Network] meeting was timely and has helped me establish relevant contacts to support Karatina University’s solar energy project. Karatina University is at a very advanced stage to implement this project and intends to go 100 per cent solar in the near future.”
The Green University Network in Kenya draws on the African Ministerial Conference on the Environment’s Arusha Declaration “to strengthen environmental education and training and develop an action plan for Africa” and the lessons from Kenya will be shared at a ministerial meeting in South Africa in August.
“I’m particularly happy about the proposed green campuses plan and incorporation of environmental studies into the curriculum,” says Daystar University student Chris Waweru. “This will help students gain the awareness, knowledge and skills needed to impact the environment, thus fast-tracking the movement to a greener and cleaner Kenya.”
The UN Climate Action Summit will take place in New York City on 23 September 2019 to increase ambition and accelerate action on the global climate emergency and support the rapid implementation of the Paris Climate Change Agreement. The 2019 UN Climate Action Summit is hosted by UN Secretary-General António Guterres.
For further information on the Kenya Green University Network, please contact Gift Gewona


Kenya

Government of Kenya

In Kenya, over 70 universities are being called on by the UN Environment Programme and the Kenyan Government to work together and transform their campuses to be the “greenest in the world”. This initiative involves both curriculum changes for more awareness about sustainability as well as facility transformations, followed by the example of Strathmore University with its own 600-kilowatt photovoltaic grid-tie system, which helps the university not only to enjoy free energy from the sun but also to sell the excess to Kenya Power under a 20-year contract.

University Initiative in Kenya to Advance Circularity 

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

Ecological Impact

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

Reduce Material Consumption (SDG12)

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

Chemical and Plastic

Engage with the government on circular policies and programmes

Government collaboration

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


Regulate

Legislation

Bans

Tunisia has announced plans to stop its supermarkets and pharmacies from using single-use plastic bags from next month before phasing them out completely in 2021.Plastic pollution has been a growing problem in the north African country in recent years, along with the challenges presented by its ancient industrial plants and barely managed household waste.Under government plans, major supermarkets and pharmacies will stop issuing the bags from 1 March, with all bags banned by January 2021. Reusable bags – defined by the government as having a thickness of 40 micrometres and a capacity of more than 30 litres – will remain in circulation.Discarded plastic bags have become a common blight on the Tunisian landscape, blown across the countryside, enmeshed in trees and impacting the country’s land and marine ecosystems. Often used to transport household waste to local collection areas, they are commonly piled by the side of the road, where they lie awaiting collection by the local municipality.An attempt to introduce a ban in 2016 failed following vocal resistance from industry. However, it was enough to stop many of the country’s leading supermarkets issuing free bags. Instead, the stores started charging for a smaller number of more durable bags, resulting in a dramatic reduction in the overall number of bags in circulation.“We have become addicted to single-use or disposable plastic — with severe environmental consequences,” said Wassim Chaabane, founder of the Association Tuniso-Méditerranéenne de l’Environnement, an environmental group.“In Tunisia, more than 4.2bn single-use plastic bags are consumed, where 1.2bn bags are imported informally.”ProfileShowWhy the sudden focus on plastics?Mankind produces roughly its entire body weight in plastics every year. But the vast majority of it is either not recycled, unrecyclable, or doesn't get reused once it's been recycled. Volumes ending up in the natural environment are surging. Plastic can take as much as 500 years to decompose.What are the implications?Plastic is ubiquitous – and often deadly. It kills sea creatures that eat it but cannot digest it. It gets into the human food chain by contaminating the fish that we eat. It is even in our tap water. There is no science about the long-term impact of humans ingesting plastic.What is to be done?Taxing plastic bags – or even banning them outright as Kenya has done – has changed consumer and producer behaviour. But what next? Deposit return schemes for plastic bottles work well in several countries. Charging for one-time coffee cups also seems to be on the agenda. But the real solutions may not be top down but ...... bottom up?Yes. Grassroots movements led the way on plastic bags, and have spawned others such as Refill, which emphasises reusing bottles, and A Plastic Planet, which urges plastic-free aisles in supermarkets. Popular culture remains hugely important: it's just possible that the British series The Blue Planet has changed attitudes overnight.Plastic bags can take anywhere between 400 and 1,000 years to break down through exposure to light. Once reduced to tiny particles, they continue to contaminate the soil and waterways, endangering local habitats and polluting seas and rivers.Chebli Hedi, the general director of environment and quality of life at the ministry of local affairs and the environment in Tunis, explained: “Since the revolution we have had serious difficulty in different areas and different cities with plastic bags, which are small and have been thrown away and disturb the environment.”Unlike the earlier attempt to ban their use, Hedi stressed, this latest initiative came following extensive consultation with the public and the commercial Utica union, and also involved voluntary participation by most supermarkets and pharmacies. Negotiations over the wider ban, to be introduced next year, are ongoing.The move was welcomed by campaigners in Tunis and the environmental pressure group Break free from Plastic. All cautioned against its introduction without adequate monitoring and support. Most vulnerable will be small shopkeepers who rely on regularly issuing bags to their customers.Even here, however, the government’s proposals found support, albeit cautious. “This news definitely makes me happy,” said Mohammad El Weti, a shopkeeper in Tunis’s ancient medina. “We’re used to politicians giving vague promises, but I’m happy they managed to pass an actual law this time. I hope they will manage to apply it.”Tunisia faces other significant environmental challenges. Single-use plastics, such as drinking straws and plastic used in commercial packaging, remains commonplace. Elsewhere, Tunisia’s reliance on often antiquated heavy industry, not least phosphate production, has left entire swathes of the country and coastline unusable.While the government is making some headway on limiting pollution, in a country where unemployment sits at 15% nationally any measure that could be perceived as damaging to industry, and therefor a danger to jobs, is likely to prove controversial.Hedi nonetheless remains optimistic. “With the environment, you cannot say: ‘This is very big, so we need to start with it,’ or: ‘This is very small, so I can ignore it.’ With the environment, everything counts.”

UNEP/MAP was instrumental in the introduction of a ban on single-use plastic bags in Tunisia.
The ban, which entered into force on 1 March 2020 for supermarkets by virtue of Decree No. 32 dated 16 January 2020, prohibits the manufacturing, import and use of conventional single-use plastic bags.
Compostable and reusable plastic bags will still be allowed in the market as an alternative, provided that they bear a specific marking. A comprehensive ban will be extended to all producers and suppliers of plastic bags by 1 January 2021.
Partner Tunisian institutions received technical support in the preparation of the draft decree on aspects such as limitations of compostable bags to prevent plastic leakage.
Funded by the EU and implemented by UNEP/MAP, the Marine Litter MED project also supported the elaboration of the legal and technical framework required for enforcement, including through the revision of industrial norms regulating plastic bag manufacturing.
Given the crucial importance of buy-in from the private sector, the project built on a voluntary agreement that was in place between the Government of Tunisia and supermarkets and pharmacies to encourage an inclusive dialogue on the scope and content of the decree and on sustainable alternatives for industry actors.
The project’s delivery in Tunisia and other Mediterranean countries fed in the elaboration of the Guidelines to phase out single-use plastic bags in the Mediterranean, recently adopted at COP 21. A Regional Cooperation Platform was also established to provide coordinated support and guidance to the implementation of the Regional Plan on Marine Litter Management in the Mediterranean.
The delivery of the Marine Litter MED project encompassed substantial inputs from related regional processes, including UNEP Global Partnership for Marine Litter, the European Union (EU) Marine Strategy Framework Directive (MSFD), the UfM H2020 initiative for a cleaner Mediterranean and the SwitchMed Programme.


Government of Tunisia

Mediterranean Action Plan 

Started in 2020, the Tunisian government paved the way for a gradual phase-out of single used plastic bags by prohibiting major supermarkets and pharmacies the usage of plastic bags. At the beginning of 2021, plastic bags were completely banned but reusable bags will remain in circulation. Funded by the EU and implemented by UNEP/MAP, the Marine Litter MED project also supported the elaboration of the legal and technical framework required for enforcement, including through the revision of industrial norms regulating plastic bag manufacturing.

Ban on single-use plastic bag introduced in Tunisia

Article / Report

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

Social Impact

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

Jobs

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)

Producing electrical equipment and machinery for industrial use

Capital Equipment

Producing and providing business and consumer goods and services

Goods and Services

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

Producing electronics products for businesses and consumers, including cellular phones, personal computers, printers, servers, electronic computer components and peripherals, TVs, audio equipment, as well as household appliances, such as refrigerators, washing machines, etc.

Electronics and Appliances

Producing electric cables and wires, power-generating equipment, including solar modules, motors, power turbines, as well as electronic equipment and instruments, including computer chips, communication equipment, analytical instruments, lasers, display screens, point-of-sales machines, security system equipment, and healthcare equipment

Electrical and Electronic Equipment

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

Design for the future

Designing to enable multiple uses and lifecycles of a product and its materials

Design for cyclability

Designing products to remove any barriers to recycling and enable easy recyclability

Design for recycling

Designing products to be reused for the same or different purposes in multiple lifecycles

Design for reuse

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

Advocacy for circular economy policy

Govern the Transition

Participatory governance mechanisms

Monitoring & enforcement

Review and update regulation

Slow strategies aim to keep materials in use for as long as possible, for example through design for durability and repairability. A more circular economy is also a slower one: materials, components, and products—and even buildings and infrastructure—that we lock in stocks are made to last. This will lower material demand in the long run, in essence also serving to narrow resource flows.

Slow

  Oliver Cann, Public Engagement, Tel.: +41 (0)79 799 34 05; Email: oca@weforum.org

  A $15 million circular electronics initiative in Lagos is launched today by the Nigerian Government, the Global Environment Facility and UN Environment With 100 times more gold in a tonne of e-waste than in a tonne of gold ore, e-waste recycling has enormous potential to fuel the economy, create jobs and benefit the environment The project is a pilot in the electronics sector convened by the Platform for Accelerating the Circular Economy (PACE) partners including the World Economic Forum. PACE is a public-private initiative to forge a circular economy at speed and scale. Find out more and watch our video 

 Lagos, Nigeria, 20 June 2019 – The Nigerian government, the Global Environment Facility (GEF) and UN Environment today launched a new $15 million initiative to turn the tide on e-waste in Nigeria. A global model for a circular electronics system, the project was announced at the Forum’s Annual Meeting 2019 and will kickstart a sustainable electronics economy in Nigeria, protecting the environment while creating safe employment for thousands of people.

 The initiative will transform Nigeria’s current informal and hazardous recycling into a formally legislated system that benefits all actors by including a small fee on the sale of electronics to subsidise formal recycling. 

 Speaking at the launch of the programme, Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of the Environment, Ibukun Odusote, said e-waste posed a grave danger to both the environment and human health in Nigeria.

 “This intervention by Global Environment Facility aims to stimulate the development of a sustainable circular economy for electronic products in Nigeria.” She noted that the project would also support the E-waste Producers Responsibility Organization – a key initiative of the Government of Nigeria to promote sustainable production and consumption by encouraging producers to take responsibility for the entire life cycle of their products.

 With 100 times more gold in a tonne of e-waste than in a tonne of gold ore, alongside other scarce and valuable materials such as platinum, cobalt and rare earth elements, a safe and efficient recycling industry has huge economic potential.

 According to the International Labour Organization, up to 100,000 people work in the informal e-waste recycling sector in Nigeria, and over half a million tonnes of discarded appliances are processed in the country every year. Yet waste that is considered to have no economic value is often dumped or burned – releasing pollutants like heavy metals and toxic chemicals into the air, water and soil. 

 The initiative will develop systems for the disposal of non-usable and toxic waste, aiming to collect, treat and dispose of more than 270 tonnes of e-waste contaminated with persistent organic pollutants and 30 tonnes of waste containing mercury.

 The project also aims to have an impact beyond Nigeria through the development of a practical circular electronics model for Africa and beyond, by sharing best practices, promoting regional and global dialogue, and engaging global manufacturers. 

 The initiative sits within the Circular Economy Approaches for the Electronics Sector in Nigeria project and will be implemented by the National Environmental Standards and Regulations Enforcement Agency. The $15 million scheme brings together players from government, the private sector and civil society. It is part of the Platform for Accelerating the Circular Economy (PACE) built by the World Economic Forum, and sees cooperation with recyclers and electronics manufactures Dell, HP, Microsoft and Phillips. PACE is looking for opportunities to scale and replicate the system in partnership with more companies and in other countries.

 Dominic Waughray, Managing Director and Head of the Centre for Global Public Goods at the Forum said, “This project demonstrates how the circular economy can spur economic growth, create jobs and benefit the environment. As a platform for public-private collaboration, the World Economic Forum is delighted by the teamwork between recyclers and electronics manufacturers working side by side with government and international organizations to reach shared goals” 

 “The environmental and economic benefits of a circular economy are clear,” said Inger Andersen, UN Environment Executive Director. “This innovative partnership with the Government of Nigeria and the Global Environment Facility is a positive step in the country’s efforts to kickstart a circular electronics system, and one that UN Environment is proud to support.”
  UN Environment is the leading global voice on the environment. It provides leadership and encourages 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. UN Environment works with governments, the private sector, civil society and with other UN entities and international organizations across the world.
  Established under the Nigerian Federal Ministry of Environment in 2007, the National Environmental Standards and Regulations Enforcement Agency (NESREA) has responsibility for the protection and development of the environment, biodiversity conservation and sustainable development of Nigeria’s natural resources in general and environmental technology including coordination and liaison with relevant stakeholders within and outside Nigeria on matters of enforcement of environmental standards, regulations, rules, laws, policies and guidelines.

 About the Global Environment Facility The Global Environment Facility was established on the eve of the 1992 Rio Earth Summit to help tackle our planet’s most pressing environmental problems. Since then, the GEF has provided over $18.1 billion in grants and mobilized an additional $94.2 billion in co-financing for more than 4,500 projects in 170 countries. Today, the GEF is an international partnership of 183 countries, international institutions, civil society organizations and the private sector that addresses global environmental issues.

 Keishamaza Rukikaire, Head of News and Media, UN Environment: rukikaire@un.org

 Prof. Aliyu Jauro, Director General/Chief Executive Officer, NESREA: aliyujauro@yahoo.co.uk
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  All opinions expressed are those of the author. The World Economic Forum Blog is an independent and neutral platform dedicated to generating debate around the key topics that shape global, regional and industry agendas.  

     	                      The Nigerian government, the Global Environment Facility (GEF) and UN Environment today launched a new $15 million initiative to turn the tide on e-waste in
Nigeria. A global model for a circular electronics system, the project was
announced at the Forum’s Annual Meeting 2019 and will kickstart a sustainable
electronics economy in Nigeria, protecting the environment while creating safe
employment for thousands of people. The initiative will transform Nigeria’s current
informal and hazardous recycling into a formally legislated system that
benefits all actors by including a small fee on the sale of electronics to
subsidise formal recycling.  Speaking at the launch of the programme,
Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of the Environment, Ibukun Odusote, said
e-waste posed a grave danger to both the environment and human health in Nigeria. “This intervention by Global Environment
Facility aims to stimulate the development of a sustainable circular economy
for electronic products in Nigeria.” She noted that the project would also
support the E-waste Producers Responsibility Organization – a key initiative of the Government of Nigeria to promote sustainable
production and consumption by encouraging producers to take responsibility for
the entire life cycle of their products. With 100 times more gold in a tonne of e-waste
than in a tonne of gold ore, alongside other scarce and valuable materials such
as platinum, cobalt and rare earth elements, a safe and efficient recycling
industry has huge economic potential. According to the International Labour
Organization, up to 100,000 people work in the informal e-waste recycling
sector in Nigeria, and over half a million tonnes of discarded appliances are
processed in the country every year. Yet waste that is considered to have no
economic value is often dumped or burned – releasing pollutants like heavy
metals and toxic chemicals into the air, water and soil.  The initiative will develop systems for the
disposal of non-usable and toxic waste, aiming to collect, treat and dispose of
more than 270 tonnes of e-waste contaminated with persistent organic pollutants and 30 tonnes of waste containing mercury. The project also aims to have an impact beyond
Nigeria through the development of a practical circular electronics model for
Africa and beyond, by sharing best practices, promoting regional and global
dialogue, and engaging global manufacturers.  The initiative sits within the Circular Economy
Approaches for the Electronics Sector in Nigeria project and will be
implemented by the National Environmental Standards and Regulations
Enforcement Agency. The $15 million scheme brings together players
from government, the private sector and civil society. It is part of the Platform for Accelerating the
Circular Economy (PACE) built by the World Economic Forum, and
sees cooperation with recyclers and electronics manufactures Dell, HP,
Microsoft and Phillips. PACE is looking for opportunities to scale and
replicate the system in partnership with more companies and in other countries. Dominic Waughray, Managing Director and Head of
the Centre for Global Public Goods at the Forum said, “This project
demonstrates how the circular economy can spur economic growth, create jobs and
benefit the environment. As a platform for public-private collaboration, the
World Economic Forum is delighted by the teamwork between recyclers and
electronics manufacturers working side by side with government and
international organizations to reach shared goals”  “The environmental and economic benefits of a
circular economy are clear,” said Inger Andersen, UN Environment Executive
Director. “This innovative partnership with the Government of Nigeria and the
Global Environment Facility is a positive step in the country’s efforts to
kickstart a circular electronics system, and one that UN Environment is proud to
support.”                image source: University of Oldenburg (Foto: Zielinski)   Authors: Dr. Arshad M. Khan and Meena Miriam Yust The coastal waters by Wilmington, Delaware, the president’s home base, have risen a record 3 mm in the past year.  Worse, the rate of increase is itself increasing portending a foot or more in the next century.  It means a rebuilding of docks plus barriers to prevent serious tidal flooding. The Virginia Institute of Marine Sciences (VIMS), affiliated with the College of William and Mary, has been collecting data on sea levels for the past 52 years.  It released its latest annual report recently, noting sea level rising by historic amounts — as in the case of Wilmington — as well as the accelerating rate of increase. There are 32 tide gauges placed along the US coasts all the way to Alaska.  Maintained by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), these measure levels every six minutes.  Researchers at VIMS take a monthly average to avoid a skewed analysis due to unusual weather patterns like storms. The Institute’s report presents sea level changes, assesses future trends, and tries to explain the increases or even decreases at particular localities.  Sea level changes are relative to the adjoining land.  For example, the rates are actually falling in Alaska but that is caused by shifting tectonic plates raising land and off-setting the sea level rise. Researchers describe the persistent sea level rise as a “slow emergency” — not a storm that will be hitting tomorrow but trouble ahead and the report cards can help local authorities plan for the future. Wetlands Watch works to preserve wetlands in Virginia’s coastal areas.  Rising sea level is a particular concern because it is expected to affect most of the state’s coastal wetlands.  Therefore in addition to policy advocacy, Wetlands Watch has developed Sea Rising Solutions, which helps in mapping out where flooding is likely. Spreading the word about sea level rise and its consequences engages the whole community and motivates legislators and developers to adapt to the new norm and prepare ahead for a changing environment.  There is another problem with coastal areas:  a gradual darkening of the sea water.  It is serious for such a change in color and clarity poses a significant threat to marine life.  The Coastal Ocean Darkening Project at the University of Oldenburg in Germany simulated the effects by filling huge metal vats with water and phytoplankton and hanging lamps above them to simulate sunlight.  They then darkened the water using low, medium and high concentrations of a brown liquid extracted from peat to simulate decaying organic matter.  The phytoplankton were all negatively affected but particularly in the vats with medium and high concentrations which blocked off more light.  Also some phytoplankton were affected more than others.   The adverse consequences to the elemental base of the ocean’s food threatens marine species up the chain, and especially those relying on the phytoplankton types most affected.  Moreover, reduced vision hinders those species, like fish, relying on vision to hunt, while not affecting those that do not, like jellyfish.   Why is the water darkening?  One hint might be that environmental regulation of fertilizer use goes along with improvements in the Mediterranean, the North Sea and parts of the North American coast.  And of course reducing global warming would decrease ice melt and subsequent sea level rise.              The recent COVID-19 pandemic had significant implications for both national economies and the global financial system, in addition to hindering the achievement of the sustainable development goals agenda. The UNDP estimates global human development—a combination of education, health, and living standards—could fall this year for the first time since 1990, which highlights how the effects of the pandemic present both an enormous challenge and tremendous opportunities for reaching the 2030 Agenda and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). With the additional challenges arising from climate change, governments have committed to several policy measures which promote a green recovery to rebuild their economies, while benefiting the people and the planet. The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) estimates that the public resources committed by governments to support a green recovery amount to at least USD 312 billion. These measures present tremendous opportunities for green finance in general, and Islamic green finance in particular, in the context of Muslim-majority countries. The State of Qatar, in light of its National Vision 2030 and in order to enhance the diversification of its economy away from hydrocarbon, has taken several measures to mitigate climate change. These include increasing the use of solar energy to more than 20% of its energy mix by 2030, the optimal use of water, improving air quality, waste recycling, increasing green spaces, in addition to the country’s commitment to organizing the first “carbon neutral” tournament featuring the use of solar-powered stadiums and water and energy-saving cooling and lighting technology. The State is also a signatory of the Paris Agreement on Climate Change and supports a number of global initiatives in relation to climate change mitigation. All these initiatives could be funded via green finance. In this regard, there are four global trends in the financial industry that the State of Qatar can leverage to promote green finance for green recovery: Growth of SRI and ESG awareness: Socially responsible investing (SRI) and environmental, social, and governance (ESG) investing are two of the fastest growing investing areas globally. Both are driven by the increasing awareness of social and environmental responsibility. According to the Global Sustainable Investment Alliance, global sustainable investment reached $30.7 trillion in the five major markets at the start of 2018, a 34 percent increase in two years. These include Europe, United States, Japan, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand. Developing green finance instruments and products can attract a growing SRI investor base that seeks to align social and environmental values with its investment portfolios. Upward trend of Islamic Finance: According to the Islamic Financial Services Board (IFSB), the total worth of the Islamic Financial Services Industry across its three main segments (banking, capital markets, and takaful) is estimated at $2.44 trillion in 2019, marking a year-on-year 11.4% growth in assets in US dollar terms. According to Thomson Reuters, the industry is projected to reach $3.8 trillion by 2022. Qatar is one of the global Islamic finance hubs with Islamic finance assets representing more than 20% of the local financial system’s assets. With the recent development of Islamic green finance, Qatar has the opportunity to position itself as a sustainable finance leader in the region by promoting synergies between Islamic and green finance growing markets. Financial innovation for sustainability: The United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) highlights that achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) will take between $5 and $7 trillion, with an investment gap in developing countries of about $2.5 trillion and the additional net investment required to implement renewable energy solutions standing at $ 1.4 trillion, or about $100 billion per year on average between 2016 and 2030, according to the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA). Mitigating this funding gap requires an engaged private sector to make green investments. That is why several green instruments and products were developed across the various segments of the financial industry. These include green retail banking products, including green loans and green mortgages, green corporate and investment products, green project finance, and green venture capital and private equity, as well as green capital market instruments, like green investment funds, green bonds, and sukuk. Integration of sustainability objectives into national strategies: Several governments around the world have integrated sustainability objectives and green finance roadmaps into their national strategies, either through a top-down approach, whereby green finance frameworks and taxonomies are harmonized at the country level (as with China), or via market-led collaborative actions. In addition, to overcome private sector investment barriers, such as high up-front costs, long investment timelines, and higher perceived risks, several countries have put in place incentives in the form of subsidies and tax exemptions. The State of Qatar can leverage these experiences through collaborations and partnerships to develop a unique green finance model in the region Green Sukuk: A Fast Growing Market Green sukuk is an innovative instrument for financing green infrastructure. It has the potential to become a new asset class targeting both Islamic and socially responsible investors. Since the issuance of the first green sukuk in 2017 in Malaysia, the market has grown significantly, with twelve issuers in Indonesia, Malaysia, and the United Arab Emirates tapping the market, in addition to the Islamic Development Bank. About $7.6 billion in four currencies (EUR, IDR, MYR, and USD) was raised up to September 2020, with tenors ranging from two to 21 years. The amounts raised were allocated to green construction, energy efficiency, and clean transportation projects. Promoting Green Finance in Qatar Although the green finance market is still in an early stage of development in the country, the market has witnessed several initiatives by local institutions that might pave the way to the development of a more dynamic market. In September 2020, Qatar National Bank (QNB) issued the first ever green bond in Qatar, a $600 million tranche, under its MTN Program, with a maturity of five years under its established Green, Social, and Sustainability Bond Framework. In addition, Qatar Stock Exchange (QSE) introduced an ESG Guidance in 2017 to assist listed companies wishing to incorporate ESG reporting into their existing reporting processes. While Bond and sukuk issuance in Qatar reached $28 billion in 2019, the market is largely driven by government issuance and commercial banks for corporate issuances, with the exception of Ezdan Sukuk in 2016 and 2017. The development of green sukuk in the country with the enabling ecosystem could facilitate corporate sukuk issuance, thus enhancing market liquidity. In conclusion, promoting a green recovery in line with the country’s economic diversification objectives and climate mitigation strategies will require the development of an enabling ecosystem for the development of green finance in Qatar. Developing a pipeline of bankable green projects at the country level, market awareness, and promoting synergies between Islamic and green finance will provide the basis for further innovation and policy action, such as green labels, frameworks, and incentives.              Rather than low-tech and often unworkable solutions (reduced or no travel, mass vegan diets) governments are increasingly embracing technology to help us understand and influence the climate – rather than merely respond to it. This should become the norm for public authorities across the world. China’s weather modification programme, for example, could be a lifeline for workable solutions to climate change globally. The technique, known as cloud-seeding, uses silver iodide and liquid nitrogen to thicken water droplets in the cloud, leading to increased rain or snowfall.  The technology has been used to prevent droughts and regulate weather before major events, like in the run up to the 2008 Beijing Olympics.  The Chinese cabinet has announced that its weather modification programme will cover half the country by 2025, with the aim to revitalize rural regions, restore ecosystems, minimize losses from natural disasters and redistribute water throughout the country.   And China’s ambitious ‘Sky River’ programme could eventually divert 5 billion cubic meters of water annually across regions, which could protect millions of people from the effects of drought and water scarcity.  Although critics have, without evidence, described these projects as ‘weaponization of the weather’, the humanitarian and development potential is huge.  Necessity is the mother of invention, and this is truer than ever with regards to the climate. The world faces a climate-change induced water crisis, with 1.5 billion people affected globally.  The UN predicts that at the current water usage levels, water scarcity could displace 700 million people by 2030.  Carbon emissions are unlikely to be eliminated in high growth economies in regions like Asia, meaning that the world must develop a way to manage emissions’ effects on the climate.  Whilst it is true that the basic solutions of eating less meat, cycling to work and cutting back on international flights can help to curb our carbon output in the long-run, it does nothing to help those who suffer from flooding or water scarcity today.  Ultimately, technology is an essential part of the solution. Big Tech is leading the charge in tackling climate change through the use of Big Data and machine learning. In November 2019, a group of data scientists published a paper entitled ‘Tackling Climate Change with Machine Learning’. The paper laid out 13 different applications of using machine learning to tackle the impacts of climate change. One such application was using machine-learning to predict extreme weather events.  Such an application is already being put into action. For example, Bangladesh is one of the most flood-prone countries in the world; approximately 5 million people were negatively affected by flooding last year alone. In order to help combat this, Google teamed up with the Bangladesh Water Development Board and the Access to Information (a2i) Programme to develop a flood notification app that is approximately 90% accurate.  The app, which is enabled by AI flooding simulation, provides the population with timely, updated, and critical information that can help users make informed decisions on the safety of their families and friends.  The same technology has been used in both India and South Africa, and has the potential to save thousands of lives and livelihoods. It is these sorts of innovations that we must rely on to help those who are most vulnerable to the impact of climate change.  It is not only cloud-seeding and weather prediction technologies that will provide humanity with a route out of its biggest existential threat. Breakthrough battery technology, green hydrogen, 5G-based smart grids and carbon-negative factories are set to become commonplace in our fight against rising CO2 levels.  As a global society, we must set our political divisions and some critics’ technophobia aside, and step forward in a spirit of international collaboration. Similarly to how the pandemic showed the need for united global action, climate change will do the same. And just as technology and science was a key part in how the pandemic was brought under control, climate change can only be addressed through tech-based solutions.               

Lagos

Nigeria

Government of Nigeria

 Global Environment Facility

National Environmental Standards and Regulations Enforcement Agency (NESREA) 

The Nigerian government launched an initiative to turn the tide on e-waste in Nigeria. A global model for a circular electronics system will pave the way for a sustainable electronics economy in Nigeria, protecting the environment while creating safe employment for thousands of people. The initiative will transform Nigeria’s current informal and hazardous recycling into a formally legislated system that benefits all actors by including a small fee on the sale of electronics to subsidise formal recycling.

Nigeria drives for a new circular system for e-waste

Impact on the health and happiness of human populations

Well-being

Reduced green house gas emissions released into the biosphere

Reduce Emissions (SDG13)

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

Guidance, dialogue with industry stakeholders

Metrics and indicators to measure progress

 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.


Burkina Faso

Mauritius

South Africa

Uganda

Ghana

United Nations Development Programme

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

Impacts on the financial condition of a company, as well as the the economicconditions of its stakeholders and on economic systems at local, national, andglobal levels.

Economic Impact

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

Innovation

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

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

Rethink the business model

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

Inform

Data, knowledge & information sharing

Conduct research

Visions and Ambitions

Institutional design to enable circularity

 Convene Towards Action

Advocate for circular change

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


Strengthen and advance knowledge

 Conceived at the World Economic Forum on Africa in Kigali in 2016, and launched at COP 23 in Bonn, the Alliance was founded by three countries Rwanda, Nigeria and South Africa along with UN Environment and the World Economic Forum. The 17th Ordinary Session of the African Ministerial Conference on the Environment (AMCEN), which took place in Durban, in November 2019, called for the widespread adoption of the circular economy on the continent. AMCEN is committed to replicate, scale-up and use circular approaches as part of Africa’s transformation efforts, in line with African Union “Agenda 2063”, and to support the work of the Alliance.  Ambition of the African Circular Economy Alliance To spur Africa’s transformation to a circular economy which delivers economic growth, jobs and positive environmental outcomes at the national, regional and continental levels. Context African countries with their vast untapped natural resources and fast-growing population, have the chance to leapfrog to a low-emission and climate-resilient development model by adopting circular economy principles that enhance social inclusivity. An effective circular model for Africa must emphasize green innovations and job creation to seize local and cross-border market opportunities, as well as enhancing climate resilience through economic diversification.    Objectives  Share best practices for the creation of legal and regulatory frameworks, the building of partnerships and the financing and creation of circular economy projects. Advocate for and raise awareness of the circular economy at a national, regional and global level. Bring about new projects and partnerships within individual or multiple countries.
 Activities  Facilitate seminars, trainings and workshops in the Member Countries on the topic of circular Economy. Encourage partnerships and sister projects in the Member Countries. Facilitate partnerships and sister projects in African and non-African countries. Develop a group of African leaders who champion the circular economy. Create coalitions to implement on the ground projects on the circular economy and initiate pilot projects in Member Countries.
 Membership & Eligibility The Alliance is open to membership from national institutions and public sector entities, international organizations, funding institutions and research centers. Current member countries include: Governments of Cote d’Ivoire, Ghana, Nigeria, Rwanda and South Africa. Current strategic partners include the African Development Bank, Africa Circular Economy Network, Global Environment Facility, Government of Finland, PACE, UN Environment, UN Development Programme and World Economic Forum. Private sector membership will not be sought in the initial phase, although the Alliance will work closely with the private sector by way of consultation and collaboration on specific projects or activities. Contact Information ACEA Secretariat: acea@dalberg.com   

It is essential for Africa to revalue its waste in order to reduce the effects of the pollution it generates, which in turn has an impact on the health and well-being of populations and economic growth. Not to mention the economic interest in recovering material resources available at the places of consumption and production, whose recycling almost systematically generates fewer greenhouse gas emissions and pollution in general than production from the extraction of virgin raw materials. This observation guided the second summit of the African Circular Economic Alliance (ACEA), which was held on the 14th of November 2019 in Durban, South Africa. The work focused in particular on the adoption of the charter that the organisation wishes to adopt.
The text sets out the terms and conditions for membership and eligibility to join the Alliance (reserved only for public sector organisations). It also shows the provisions concerning the ACEA management board. The organisation has two co-chairs who serve for a five-year term. Currently held by the Environment Ministers of Rwanda and South Africa, this function consists of overseeing the strategy and direction of the Alliance, leading the secretariat and technical committee, and guiding the process of identifying and welcoming new members.
South Africa and Rwanda launched ACEA in November 2017 at COP23 in Bonn, Germany. The two countries will be joined in June 2018 by Nigeria at the first ACEA Summit in Helsinki, Finland.
Africa could save up to $186 billion a year through the circular economy
The vision of the ACEA is to build a restorative African economy that generates the well-being and prosperity of all its people through new forms of economic production and consumption, which maintain and regenerate its resources. Taking part in a public conference at Félix Houphouët-Boigny University in Cocody, Ivory Coast, on October 17, 2019, the co-founder of ACEA, Alexandre Lemille, said that the circular economy could save Africa over $186 billion, just by changing the way we consume.
Also present at the conference was Michel Benoît Coffi, Secretary General of the Abidjan Autonomous District Council Bureau, representing the Governor of Abidjan in Ivory Coast. He presented the plans for a circular economy project in his district. “The transformation of organic waste into agricultural substrate or bio-methane and the recovery of 16% of dry waste should create 42,000 new jobs”. He also pointed out that 35 to 45% of water bills can be saved if shower water is used to evacuate faeces…
Boris Ngounou


  The World Economic Forum is playing a crucial role in spurring Africa’s transformation to a circular economy that delivers economic growth, jobs and positive environmental outcomes.  Conceived by the World Economic Forum and the Government of Rwanda in 2016 and then launched in 2017, The African Circular Economy Alliance (ACEA) is a country-led platform, that aims to lead advocacy projects, undertake policy research and support high-impact circular-economy projects. Co-chaired by the environment ministers of Rwanda, Nigeria and South Africa, with 10 member countries from across the African continent, the ACEA has given rise to a multi-donor trust fund with initial capital of €4 million. The Africa Circular Economy Support Programme (ACESP) will fund circular economy entrepreneurs and circular economy activities in countries that have joined the alliance.    In a circular economy, all resources are used to their highest value and reused continuously rather than being thrown away.  The size of the economic opportunity from rethinking how resources are used is vast. For example, there is 100 times more gold in a tonne of smartphones than a tonne of gold ore, but many phones are not properly recycled, wasting these resources. Accenture has valued this global opportunity at $4.5 trillion.  Africa is well placed to profit from this opportunity. The United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) reports that there are 200 million people aged between 15 and 24 on the continent. This number is expected to double by 2045, providing a potential demographic dividend for fast economic growth if enough jobs are created.  The United States Environmental Protection Agency (US EPA) calculates that for every 10,000 tonnes of used goods, putting them in landfill would create six jobs, recycling them would create 36 jobs, and reuse and repair could create up to 296.    The ACEA was first conceived in collaboration with the Rwandan Ministry of Environment at the World Economic Forum on Africa in 2016. Rwanda has long been a leader in circular economy and was one of the first countries in the world to ban plastic bags. At the World Economic Forum on Africa in 2017, South Africa and Nigeria joined the alliance as co-chairs and ACEA was born. The Forum used its multistakeholder platform to bring the parties together and continues to provide financial and in-kind support. However, the ACEA is a country-led programme fully governed by the co-chairs. It is supported by a number of strategic partners including the Forum, the AfDB, the Global Environment Facility (GEF), UN Environment Programme (UNEP), the Government of Finland and the Platform for Accelerating the Circular Economy, with financial support from the Danish and Finnish governments and the Nordic Council.  The ACEA secretariat has already begun researching how circular economy approaches can aid sustainable economic growth across Africa and the findings will be presented to all environment ministers as part of the African Ministerial Conference on the Environment in 2021.    One ACEA project is a collaboration with the Forum’s Regional Action Group on Africa and the Africa Plastics Recycling Alliance, a coalition which includes Diageo, Unilever, The Coca-Cola Company and Nestlé. This collaboration will spark collaboration between companies and policy-makers working on building a PET bottle-to-bottle recycling industry on the continent, which will reduce waste and also create jobs.  If your organization is undertaking research on the circular economy in Africa, or if you have a high-impact project with ambitious growth targets, consider reaching out to the ACEA using the link below. You can also use the links below to find out how the World Economic Forum’s Circular Economy Initiative brings together private, public, civil society, and expert stakeholders to accelerate the circular economy transition.  
   
    
    
 
 

Rwanda

Government of Rwanda

The World Economic Forum is the International Organization for Public-Private Cooperation.

The Forum engages the foremost political, business, cultural and other leaders of society to shape global, regional and industry agendas.

It was established in 1971 as a not-for-profit foundation and is headquartered in Geneva, Switzerland. It is independent, impartial and not tied to any special interests. The Forum strives in all its efforts to demonstrate entrepreneurship in the global public interest while upholding the highest standards of governance. Moral and intellectual integrity is at the heart of everything it does.

World Economic Forum

Government of South Africa

PACE is a global community of leaders working together to accelerate the transition to a circular economy. Our focus is on the areas that require deep collaboration between business, government and civil society, creating a space for leaders to work in partnership and overcome challenges together.

PACE - Platform for Accelerating the Circular Economy

The Alliance was founded by three countries: Rwanda, Nigeria and South Africa along with UN Environment and the World Economic Forum which is a country-led platform, that aims to lead advocacy projects, undertake policy research and support high-impact circular-economy projects. One objective of this alliance is to share best practices for the creation of legal and regulatory frameworks, the building of partnerships and the financing and creation of circular economy projects which is done, for instance, by facilitating seminars, trainings and workshops in the member countries on the topic of the circular economy.

The African Circular Economy Alliance (ACEA)

Contribution to social parity, or impact on social disparity

Equality

Voluntary agreements around circular ambitions

              The SCP-NAP is intended for all organizations, businesses, administrations, local communities and civil society associations      The SCP-NAP has identified three priority areas: • Integrate sustainable consumption and production patterns into national policies and plans; • Ensure energy transition through promotion of energy efficiency and development of renewable energies; • Develop a zero-waste economy by 2030.         

Government of Algeria

Published in 2016, Algeria's National Action Plan on Sustainable Consumption and Production (SCP-NAP) has identified 42 concrete actions in three priority areas, which are: to integrate sustainable consumption and production patterns into national policies and plans, to ensure energy transition through the promotion of energy efficiency and development of renewable energies and to develop a zero-waste economy by 2030.

Algeria's National Action Plan on Sustainable Consumption and Production

Providing electricity and gas services, including traditional and renewable energy generation, natural and manufactured gas and operating gas networks

Energy Utilities and Independent Power Producers

Producing and gathering crop and animal products from land and water through farming, hunting, and fishing

Agriculture

Cross-departmental collaboration and engagement

 Fiscal Frameworks

Awareness raising events

Government of Egypt

The National Action Plan for Sustainable Consumption and Production was launched in 2015. The national action plan addresses four priority sectors including Energy, Agriculture, Municipal Solid Waste and Water. The Action Plan is translated into 6 different programs to implement 28 different projects presented by 13 different government institutions and specialized research centres.

 National Action Plan for Sustainable Consumption and Production in Egypt

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

Biodiversity

The Moroccan Sustainable Consumption and Production National Action Plan (SCP-NAP) addresses two priority sectors in Morocco: agriculture and agri-food and eco-construction and sustainable buildings through nationally owned multistakeholder processes. The SCP-NAP of Morocco has been integrated with the Moroccan National Sustainable Development Strategy and its implementation is currently on-going.