The Global Observer – February 2024

— Global News and Trends —

Circular Online - Circularity Gap Report calls for circular economy policies from Governments (in english)

Circle Economy’s Circularity Gap Report 2024 calls for Governments to “create a level policy playing field” and build green skills.

novethic - The fall in lithium prices, a sign of the fragility of the energy transition (in french)

The prices of lithium, a metal essential to new energy technologies, are in free fall. If they indicate a slowdown in the electric vehicle market, this decline is above all a sign which shows how fragile the energy transition still is.

— Europe, Middle East and Africa —

MSN - Lessons from Finland’s attempt to transition to a circular economy (in english)

In 2016, Finland became the first country in the world to adopt a national circular economy road map, with the ambition to become a world leader in moving away from an unsustainable “take-make-waste” linear model.

Circular Online - Scotland publishes consultation on circular economy transition (in english)

The Scottish Government publishes draft Circular Economy and Waste Route Map consultation, which calls for mandating food waste reporting.

United Nations Development Program - The Circular Economy: Making the city of Ouagadougou cleaner, by giving work to the most deprived  (in french)

Plastic bags pose a serious environmental problem in Africa, contributing to widespread pollution. In Burkina Faso, the increasing production of waste, particularly non-degradable plastic, endangers the environment and human health. An initiative led by the Song Taaba Association for Development in Ouagadougou explores a circular approach to waste recycling.

ESI-Africa - Solid waste is choking African cities' potential to grow and develop(in english)

The alarm about the “critical state” of solid waste accumulation in Africa was sounded at Africa’s Green Economy Summit on Thursday in Cape Town.

— North America —

Journal Le Nord - First in Quebec: Developing the regional circular economy (in french)

Synergie Économique Laurentides (SEL) will develop a regional circular economy strategy for the Laurentians, thanks to an agreement.

— Latin America —

International Institude for Environment and Development - San José: ecoins,  promoting the circular economy and decarbonisation through public-private partnerships (in english)

The ecoins programme in Costa Rica promotes recycling and the circular economy, reduces CO2 emissions and contributes to environmental sustainability through a technological economic reward scheme.

— Asia Pacific —

PwCThe Role of the Public Sector in Driving a Circular Economy in Southeast Asia  (in english)

The concept of a circular economy is gaining momentum in Southeast Asia, driven by the pressing issues of climate change and resource constraints.