Circular economy: Opportunities to drive the climate agenda and economic development
Date and time:6 October (14h15-15h45)
1. Introduction
The Circular Economy Coalition of Latin America and the Caribbean is a regional platform to enhance inter-ministerial, multi-sectoral and multi-stakeholder cooperation to promote the circular economy. The Coalition was officially founded in February 2022, at the XXI Meeting of the Forum of Ministers of Environment of Latin America and the Caribbean. The Coalition is made up of actors from different sectors, as well as different countries in the region that are government members of the Coalition and are a key actor in meeting the objectives. The Coalition brings together its Steering Committee and different members through its official event, the "Vaivén: Festival de EconomÃa Circular". The 2023 edition will be held in Costa Rica from October 9 to 11. Within the framework of the First Ministerial Summit on Environmental Sustainability and the Circular Economy Festival, a side event will be held, led by the Circular Economy Coalition of Latin America and the Caribbean, the Ellen MacArthur Foundation, the Konrad Adenauer Foundation and the Intersectoral Committee on Circular Economy of Costa Rica, in coordination with the OECD and the Regional Program for Latin America and the Caribbean, which allows raising political ambition in circular economy in the region.
Incorporating circular economy gives countries the opportunity to reduce the impact on natural resources, reduce emissions and promote the transition to environmentally friendly products, thus boosting economic growth and generating opportunities for all citizens. At the same time, it encourages the creation of green jobs and opens up new perspectives in the markets, in line with the OECD recommendations on the circular economy. This transformation towards a more circular model not only strengthens environmental sustainability and allows us to move towards the goals of the Paris Agreement, but also boosts innovation, competitiveness and just transition.
2. About the event
The event will be hybrid, and will consist of a session on the afternoon of Friday, 6 October (14h15-15h45) The conference will include representatives from the OECD, international partner organizations, ambassadors, the Legislative Assembly's environment committee, government officials, the private sector, NGOs and civil society.
There will be a keynote address by Jocelyn Blériot, Executive Lead, International Institutions & Policy of the Ellen MacArthur Foundation. There will be simultaneous translation and live transmission on the Zoom platform.
3. Organizers
The event is organized by:
Latin American and Caribbean Circular Economy Coalition
Konrad Adenauer Foundation
Ellen MacArthur Foundation
Intersectoral Technical Committee of Circular Economy with the support of the Ministry of Environment and Energy (MINAE)
4. Objective
The event aims to:
Report on how the circular economy is contributing, globally, to economic development and green growth by showcasing international success stories.
Expose how the Circular Economy, as climate action, can be incorporated into NDCs.
5. Contents
- International trends.
- Circular economy as a national economic strategy and/or for green growth.
- Circular economy as a strategy to promote resilience to specific events.
- Examples of relevance for SMEs.
- The benefits of the circular economy for the economy.
6. Program
Keynote presentation (20 minutes)
Exchange panel: Jocelyn Blériot, Jo Tyndall Director, Environment Directorate at the OECD (to be confirmed) and Mary Munive Angermüller, Minister of Health and Vice President of Costa Rica) (15 minutes)
Questions from the audience (25 minutes)
7. Key Speaker
Jocelyn Blériot
Executive Lead, International Institutions & Policy.
Jocelyn Blériot has been with the Foundation since its creation in 2010, after 15 years spent in the media and publishing industry. Initially in charge of editorial matters, overseeing content development and messaging, he leads the organization’s institutional engagement and the work with national governments across the Foundation's offices (Europe, Latin America, China, North America). He manages the relationship with supra-national bodies such as the European Commission, United Nations, G7/20 Resource Alliance, OECD or the World Economic Forum. Jocelyn has been a member of the circular economy advisory board of the China Council for International Cooperation on Development (CCICED) and currently is a part of the international advisory network of the Forum on Trade, Environment and the SDGs (TESS).
