Regional road map to a circular economy

Towns and cities can motivate and encourage companies, communities and inhabitants operating in their areas to transfer to a circular economy by aligning their public procurement processes with the principles of the circular economy. At the same time, the circular economy supports the strengthening of regional competitiveness and the well-being of local residents, attracts new inhabitants and helps municipalities reach their carbon neutrality goals.

The purpose of the project is to create a model by which towns and cities can build a road map to a circular economy for their own regions. The road map marks a route to a circular economy and identifies the necessary measures and organisations that will enable the move to a circular economy.

What are we doing?

Turku intends to be a zero-waste and zero-carbon city by 2040 and, with this goal, it also challenges other cities to make a rapid change to a circular economy. In collaboration with the City of Turku, we are building a regional road map to a circular economy and, at the same time, an example for other municipalities for drawing up their own road maps. The model takes account of a region’s special features and strengths, the engagement of partners and the means of measuring the transition to a circular economy.

The foundations for Turku’s road map will be built by reviewing the existing circular economy solutions and tools and by engaging regional operators in the work. Furthermore, the process will include an identification of the opportunities for a circular economy and of the legislative and financial factors that may be hindering the transition in Turku and other trailblazer areas. In the Turku region, the aim is to bring together co-operation partners who can join forces to take inspiring and ambitious steps towards a circular economy.

During the project, the building model of regional road maps to a circular economy will be disseminated to other cities in Finland and to global operators through Local Governments for Sustainability, ICLEI. The objective is that towns and cities make the circular economy their spearhead project, seasoning it with their own strengths and special features.

The project supports the goals of the Finnish Road map to a circular economy 2.0.

Who is taking part?

The City of Turku co-ordinates the building of the regional road map. Turku has been co-operating with Sitra on sustainable development themes (in Finnish) since 2015. The collaboration has generated new circular economy business in Turku, made resource wisdom a part of everyday life and helped reduce greenhouse gas emissions faster than anticipated.

ICLEI – Local Governments for Sustainability is a partner with the City of Turku in the project. ICLEI’s role is to develop stepsfor drawing up a regional road map to a circular economy and to expand the model to new regions. ICLEI forms an international network, as part of which more than 1,750 local and regional governments in over 100 countries have made a commitment to sustainable urban development.

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Marleena Ahonen