Circular economy means moving away from a ‘take, make and waste’ mentality. It offers a resilient, divers, and inclusive economic model that creates opportunities for sustainable growth. The growing interest in circular economy in the region, among governments, the private sector, civil society, and the many regional initiatives has led to the Circular Economy Coalition for Latin America and the Caribbean, coordinated by the Global Opportunities for Sustainable Development Goals (GO4SDGs), hosted by UNEP. The Coalition aims to provide more coordinated support and strengthen cooperation for a bigger impact. More about the objectives can be read in this leaflet.
One of the first steps for the Coalition is the development of the following common vision for a circular economy in 2030: “The countries of Latin America and the Caribbean are moving from a linear economy to a circular economy model, decoupling economic growth from environmental degradation and the use of resources, while improving human well-being, the regeneration of ecosystems and greater prosperity, contributing to the fulfilment of the 2030 Agenda and the Paris Agreement.”
To achieve this the Coalition wants to provide a regional platform that enables inter-ministerial, multi-sectoral, and multi-actor cooperation to increase knowledge about the circular economy, and facilitate training and technical assistance for the development of public policies in the circular economy.
The Coalition is led by a steering committee with representatives of Colombia, Costa Rica, the Dominican Republic and Perú for the 2021-2022 period; and eight Strategic Partners.
Adriana Zacarias (head of GO4SDGs): Thanks to this Coalition, of which I am very proud, we will be able to speed up the transition to sustainable high-impact sectors like Food and Tourism. Together we will contribute to green jobs, help SMEs with innovation, create circular finance opportunities and create awareness for sustainable lifestyles, based on the priorities in the region.”
Join VAIVÉN 2022 (27-29 September): The Circular Economy Festival in Latin America
VAIVÉN 2022 will bring together different institutions and key players in Latin America and the Caribbean, to build bridges on the road to the transition to circularity. The Circular Economy Festival seeks especially to reach country representatives and representatives of the main organizations in the region. It will serve to foster the exchange of experiences, spur the discussion of global trends, and raise awareness of the specific challenges and opportunities in the region. Adriana Zacarias (head of GO4SDGs) is one of the speakers and will elaborate more about the Coalition and its vision.