Parallel sessions. Group 6: Towards a biodiversity-inclusive and climate-friendly circular economy

While society and the political landscape evolves, biodiversity loss, climate change and pollution continue to be key challenges of our time. To achieve our environmental targets, the circular economy and related circular approaches and business models can play a crucial role. But implementing these approaches will need a clear understanding by decision makers and key stakeholders as regards to what adopting them will entail exactly for their sectors. Very importantly, we need to ensure that the circular approaches identified and adopted by different stakeholders – from governments to business – effectively contribute to the to the achievement of the biodiversity, climate and pollution reduction targets, without potential tradeoffs or drawbacks. 

Building on the recent warm-up session of the ECESP in April, this session aims to further explore the interrelation between the circular economy and the environmental targets especially in land use related sectors such as the bioeconomy sectors. Different voices of relevant actors will be heard in this interactive discussion, from which the results will be especially relevant currently in the EU, as the European Commission is now elaborating policies, such as the Circular Economy Act and the Bioeconomy Strategy.

The session will take place in the Mansholt room, ground floor 

Panellists:

• Setting the scene, Alberto Schnell - IUCN
• How can the circular economy support the implementation of the Global Biodiversity Framework, Marianne Kettunen- EMF
• The Circular Economy contribution to climate mitigation, Tobias Nielsen - EEA
• How will biodiversity loss influence bioeconomy? Samy Porteron - ECOS

Moderator: Maria Nikolopoulou, EESC-ECESP