Is the circular economy your thing?

Thousands of people across the planet have signed up for free for this month’s virtual World Circular Economy Forum.

The Canadian government are co-organising the event with the Finnish Innovation Fund Sitra. It is the first time the forum will have been hosted in North America, though it is a virtual gathering.

“The World Circular Economy Forum brings together forward-looking thinkers and doers, and presents the world’s leading game-changers in the circular economy,” the forum’s website says.

Young people are being encouraged to take part and help build a movement that can fast-track the transition to a circular economy. On between 13-15 September, there is still time to register and play a part.

Inside the circular economy

The Ellen MacArthur Foundation says the circular economy is ‘based on the principles of designing out waste and pollution, keeping products and materials in use, and regenerating natural systems’. The Foundation is already leading the way in measuring circularity progress using Circulytics 2.0, which it labels the ‘most comprehensive circularity measurement tool’ available.

Explaining more about Circulytics, and the essence of a functioning circular economy, Jarkko Havas, who leads the Ellen MacArthur Foundation’s Insights & Analysis work around data and metrics, joined Marc Buckley recently on the Inside Ideas podcast.

Jarko talks to Marc about the inextricable links between climate change and the way ‘we use and produce materials’ and says it is critical companies are able to properly monitor how they are doing in making these materials in a more circular way.

“We want to ensure companies report in the future on their circular economy performance to show how they are acting to have these positive impacts,” he said.

Catch up with this episode below for more on the circular economy.