On 2nd March 2022, The second High-level Meeting of the Global Alliance on Circular Economy and Resource Efficiency (GACERE) was co-organized by Japan and the other GACERE member countries, with the support of the United Nations Environment Programme and the United Nations Industrial Development Organization, as a side event of the resumed session of the Fifth UN Environment Assembly on 2nd March 2022.
Why: In line with the UNEA-5.2 theme “Strengthening Actions for Nature to Achieve the Sustainable Development Goals”, this High-level Meeting will provide the opportunity to the membership of GACERE to present and discuss the potential of a more circular economy to address the biodiversity crisis.
GACERE member countries and strategic partners will share experiences and lessons learned in implementing circular practices and policies that contribute to addressing biodiversity loss drivers. The event will also provide an opportunity for participants to exchange views on how best to embed circularity into the post-2020 Global Biodiversity Framework.
Audience: Governments, businesses and international organizations active in the promotion of circular economy.
About the Global Alliance on Circular Economy and Resource Efficiency (GACERE): GACERE is an alliance of governments at global level willing to work together on and advocate for a global just circular economy transition and a more sustainable management of natural resources, at the political level and in multilateral fora. GACERE was launched in February 2021. GACERE is an initiative of the European Commission on behalf of the European Union and UNEP, in coordination with UNIDO. To date, the following countries have already joined the Global Alliance: Canada, Chile, Colombia, the European Union, India, Japan, Kenya, Morocco, New Zealand, Nigeria, Norway, Peru, Republic of Korea, Rwanda, South Africa and Switzerland. The work of GACERE is supported by strategic partners: the Ellen MacArthur Foundation, the Platform for Accelerating the Circular Economy (PACE), the World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD) and the World Circular Economy Forum (WCEF).
Contact: Claire Thiebault, UNEP Economy Division, claire.thiebault [at] un.org (claire[dot]thiebault[at]un[dot]org)
Online event - Wednesday 2, March 2022, 11.15 to 12.45 CET / 13.15 to 14.45 EAT
11:15-11:20: Welcome and housekeeping
- Moderator: Mr. Tim Nixon, Founder and fmr Chief, Thomson Reuters Sustainability
11:20-11:30: Opening remarks
- Dr. Tsuyoshi Michael Yamaguchi, Minister of the Environment, Japan
- Dr. Gerd Müller, Director General, UNIDO
11:30-12:05: Session 1 - Circular economy in the post-2020 global biodiversity framework
Panelists:
- Mr. Virginijus Sinkevičius, Commissioner for Environment, Oceans and Fisheries, European Union
- Mr. Gunnar Andreas Holm Ambassador of Norway to the Republic of Kenya and Permanent Representative to the UN Environment Programme
- Ms. Elizabeth Mrema, Executive Secretary of the Secretariat of the Convention on Biological Diversity
- Mr. Carlos Manuel Rodríguez, CEO and Chairperson, GEF
- Mr. Rohitesh Dhawan, President and CEO, The International Council on Mining and Metals (ICMM)
- Ms. Anita Dongre, Chief Creative Officer, House of Anita Dongre
- Ms. Swetha Stotra Bhashyam, Global South Focal Point at Global Youth Biodiversity Network
12:05-12:10: Launch of the GACERE Circular Economy and Biodiversity Working Paper
12:10-12:40: Session 2 - Circular economy & biodiversity: sectoral dialogues
- Buildings and construction
Panelists
- Ms. Mamogala Musekene, Deputy Director General, Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment, South Africa.
- Dr. Thomas Matthias Romm, Architect/Engineer, Romm research, plan, build, Austria
- Dr. Carolyn Jewell, Biodiversity Senior Manager, HeidelbergCement, Germany
- Textiles
Panelists
- Ms. Leila Benali, Minister of Energy Transition and Sustainable Development, Morocco
- Mr. Khalid Kairouch, Director for Quality and Sustainable Development, Evlox, Morocco
- Ms. Caroline Nelson, Country Manager/CEO, H&M, South Africa
12:40-12:45: Closing remarks
- Ms. Inger Andersen, Executive Director, UNEP: Nature is circular. Our economies should be too.
Watch the recorded event here:
The main conclusions of the event can be downloaded here.