*Recorded video is available here

22 February 2021 – Bringing together governments and relevant networks and organizations, the Global Alliance on Circular Economy and Resource Efficiency (#GACERE) aims to provide a global impetus to initiatives related to the circular economy transition, resource efficiency, sustainable consumption and production patterns, and inclusive and sustainable industrialization.

GACERE has been established by the European Commission on behalf of the European Union (EU), and by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), in coordination with the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO).

Eleven countries (Canada, Chile, Colombia, Japan, Kenya, New Zealand, Nigeria, Norway, Peru, Rwanda and South Africa) and the EU have joined the Alliance to date.

Launching the Alliance, European Commissioner for the Environment, Oceans and Fisheries, Virginijus Sinkevičius, said, “The transition to a resource-efficient, clean and circular economy is increasingly recognized as a must to address the ecological crises the world is confronted with. The circular economy offers opportunities for spurring innovation and making the transition more equitable by creating green jobs and lowering environmental impacts.”

In his remarks, LI Yong, Director General of UNIDO, said, “We will have a promising solution in our hands to safeguard and protect the natural wealth of our planet from climate, biodiversity, ocean and land degradation catastrophes and address the ambition of developing countries for inclusive and sustainable industrialization, if we choose a path to a circular economy and make this transition just. This will also enable economic prosperity, business opportunities, innovations and green jobs.”

Inger Andersen, Executive Director of UNEP , said, “Circularity and sustainable consumption and production are essential to deliver on every multilateral agreement, from the Sustainable Development Goals to the Paris Agreement to the post-2020 global biodiversity framework that we must agree on soon. They are essential to a sustainable recovery from the pandemic.”

View the livestream recording of the launch of the GACERE here

More information:

Circular economy: a question of design

European Commission Environment: Circular Economy Global