The newly published Circular Cities Declaration (CCD) report celebrates the great steps cities across Europe, including several ICLEI Members, are taking to support the transition to a circular economy. From a circular economy strategy in Maribor (Slovenia) and a community composting initiative in Budapest (Hungary), to the world-leading target for 100% of local procurement to be circular by 2030 in Haarlem (The Netherlands), the report and the city profiles present many exemplary and replicable solutions.
Throughout 2022, CCD signatories have been submitting individual reports sharing their key activities and interventions in the field of circular economy, and the challenges they have experienced. In total, 40 reports were submitted, covering activities from 2021 and 2022. ICLEI Europe, with support from Ellen MacArthur Foundation, led a comprehensive analysis of these submissions resulting in the CCD report, the most comprehensive assessment of circular economy practices across European cities. It identifies eight key trends for how circularity is implemented in Europe’s urban areas, as well as the four main barriers hindering a circular economy.
The report’s great emphasis on the role cities play in achieving the circular transition fits the broader aims of the Circular Cities Declaration. It was set up to not only support cities in achieving circularity, but also to highlight the crucial role they have in this process. Cities represent two-thirds of global energy demands and are responsible for 70% of greenhouse gas emissions. At the same time, they manage a number of key sectors with circular potential, are responsible for land use and management and have significant public procurement and investment budgets. As such cities’ adoption of circular economy principles can drive change across nations and sectors.
By the end of 2025, the CCD aims to have 150 signatories and the report shows this is an achievable goal. The circular transition is happening across Europe in different sectors, in big and small cities alike. For example, ICLEI Members have initiated a variety of circular economy projects:
- Torres Vedras (Portugal) uses public procurement to invest in sustainable school meals,
- Copenhagen (Denmark) uses innovation to find radical new solutions for waste management,
- Ljubljana (Slovenia) encourages citizens to create their own circular solutions,
- Helsinki (Finland) enables food redistribution to make local food systems more regenerative.
Despite this progress, the report does not turn a blind eye towards the challenges. Progress towards making cities circular is not as fast as it could be due to a lack of skills and knowledge. Furthermore, a lack of finance options is holding back the pace of transition to a circular economy. The private sector and national governments must help unlock new opportunities. As purchasers of goods and services, cities can contribute to this by using their buying power to lead by example and drive change among their suppliers. Finally, citizens must be aware of their own crucial role. They shape cultural norms and political expectations – these need to adapt alongside the changes brought in by urban authorities if cities are to become truly circular.
To learn more about the CCD report, click here.