Sharing lessons learned in local networks

Challenge

Municipalities play a central role in the promotion of the circular economy, because they are not only population centres but also centres of a major part of consumption, services and production. Municipalities can enable sustainable ways of transportation, housing and living in their own areas.

Solution

Networks of municipalities and their joint meetings offer an easier way of sharing best practices and knowledge. Based on specific indicators, towns can assess the impact and development of their own activities and compare their measures and performance to other towns in the network. The networks coordinated by Finnish Environment Institute and Motiva activate the inhabitants and enterprises of the regions involved to join the efforts to promote the circular economy, reduce emissions and mainstream national policy.

The CIRCWASTE network promotes matters related to waste prevention and material cycles in a natural way. In its operations, the network focuses on the sparing use of natural resources, and the sharing of best circular economy and sharing economy practices.

As far as the circular economy is concerned, the purpose of HINKU (Carbon Neutral Municipalities)/CANEMURE (Towards Carbon Neutral Municipalities) is to enhance the synergies between the mitigation of climate change and the circular economy.

The FISU (Finnish Sustainable Communities and Municipalities) network focuses on living within the limits set by planet Earth. The circular economy and consumption (including the sharing economy) could become the cutting edge of the FISU network if so jointly decided by the towns involved. With a view to continuity, it is important that the networks further strengthen the circular economy and that permanent structures are created for each network.