Brussels hosts joint event on Circular Economy and Climate Modelling

In the last Friday of September 2024, Brussels hosted a crucial event uniting the CIRCOMOD and CircEUlar projects with the European Environmental Agency (EEA).

The event brought together experts and policymakers from across Europe to explore how these circular economy and climate modeling initiatives can contribute to effective strategies for achieving carbon neutrality.

The event provided updates on the progress of CIRCOMOD and CircEUlar, including developments in modeling, the creation of a centralized data hub, and the generation of Circular Economy (CE) profiles. Scenario planning and discussions with stakeholders aimed at refining strategies for a sustainable future were central themes throughout the day.

The Empirical Research Session launched the event, focusing on the real-world impact of circularity on reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. Peter Berrill from Leiden University opened the session by discussing the pivotal role that circularity plays in mitigating GHG emissions. His presentation was followed by Christian Klöckner from NTNU, who examined how consumer choices can drive circular economy practices, emphasizing the power of individual behavior in enabling the transition to a sustainable economy. Charlie Wilson from Oxford University delved into how digitalization serves as a key enabler of circularity, outlining its potential to streamline processes and improve efficiency across industries.

Tobias Viere and Marina Haug from Pforzheim University demonstrated the use of Circular Economy profiles to visualize the impacts of circularity across various sectors, offering a powerful tool for tracking progress. Henrike Rau and Eoin Grealis from LMU Munich concluded the session by presenting their research on the connection between circularity and consumer demand in mobility and housing, emphasizing the need for integrated strategies to link consumption patterns with circular practices. The session was accompanied by a lively discussion on critical issues, including the enablers of the circular transition, the potential for GHG reductions through circular strategies, and the development of key indicators for measuring system-wide impact.

The second session shifted focus to Integrative Narratives for Circular Economy and Carbon Neutrality, exploring the role of circularity in achieving net-zero emissions. Volker Krey from the International Institute of Applied Systems Analysis (IIASA) presented his work on the importance of narratives in shaping circularity strategies for a carbon-neutral Europe. His presentation was followed by Marianne and Oreane from Utrecht University, who shared insights from the International Resource Panel’s (IRP) circular scenarios, offering a global perspective on resource use and emissions reductions. Toon van Dyck from the OECD provided an overview of policy scenarios related to circular economy and plastics, drawn from the OECD’s latest outlooks, further highlighting the need for robust policy frameworks to support circular initiatives.

The third session featured in-depth discussions on Modeling Circular Economy for Climate Mitigation. Reyer Gerlagh from Tilburg University presented an innovative approach to enriching Computable General Equilibrium (CGE) models with circular economy mechanisms, showing how these models can better account for climate change mitigation strategies. Stefan Pauliuk from Albert-Ludwigs-Universität Freiburg followed with a comprehensive framework for modeling circular economy interventions across various sectors and materials, offering case studies that highlighted the tangible benefits of circularity in reducing emissions. Sofia G. Simoes from Laboratório Nacional de Energia e Geologia contributed insights on circular mitigation strategies for the construction sector, while Alessio Mastrucci and Adriana Gomez Sanabria from IIASA provided an overview of how circularity can be applied to buildings and appliances. Finally, Hanspeter Wieland from BOKU Vienna presented economy-wide modeling strategies, demonstrating the broad potential of circularity to drive systemic change. The session concluded with a robust discussion, examining the implications of these modeling exercises for future policy development.

The final session, hosted by the European Environmental Agency, featured a Panel Discussion on the Science-Policy Interface. This roundtable explored the key aspects that must be considered when integrating circular economy measures into climate modeling. Moderated by Jesus Alquezar Sabadie from DG Environment, the panel included insights from Oreane Edelenbosch and Detlef van Vuuren (PBL), Volker Krey (IIASA), Ana Lima (DTU), Marie Le Mouel (DG CLIMA), Tom Rommens (VITO), and Toon van Dyck (OECD). A central theme was the need for synthesis across circular economy scenarios and the development of common definitions, particularly in the context of the forthcoming Circular Economy Act from the European Commission.

Discussions with representatives from the European Commission’s DG Environment and DG CLIMA revealed a pressing need to address data gaps, especially in material research, which remains less developed compared to energy or land use change data. The alignment between the CIRCOMOD, CircEUlar, and CO2nstruct consortia on how to describe and implement circularity strategies was a positive takeaway from the event.

The day concluded with enthusiastic feedback from participants, who praised the collaboration between CIRCOMOD, CircEUlar, and the EEA. The high turnout and active engagement underscored the importance of this joint effort in advancing Europe’s transition towards a circular economy and achieving climate goals.

Check proceeding of this event including access to the presentation slides here