Author: Gonzalo Hernando
On April 18th, EURADA, of behalf of the FRONTSH1P project, had the opportunity to attend the World Circular Economy Forum 2024, specifically the accelerator session titled “Cities & regions getting ahead with the circular transition.” This event proved to be particularly relevant for the project for two main reasons: firstly, we had the chance to hear from several high-level panelists who provided very insightful explanations regarding the roadmap that cities and regions should follow in terms of Circular Economy. They not only presented innovative strategies, but they also showcased several pilot projects across different European cities. Secondly, we also had the opportunity to present our initiative and network with attendees during the matchmaking session, that undoubtedly provided us with new opportunities for future collaborations.
Taking a closer look at the topics discussed during this exciting event, the first session titled “Working together for accelerating the circular transition: the CCRI,” presented by the DG Research and Innovation, stood out prominently. This session presented the Circular Cities and Regions Initiative (CCRI) and addressed the challenges of transitioning to a circular economy and emphasized the need to create new business models. Furthermore, it gave special importance to the utility of projects funded through the Horizon program – like FRONTSH1P, for example – and stressed the need to focus these projects on enhancing European value chains and digitalization, so that to guarantee a truly impactful effect both on the environment and on the local and regional economies.
Also of relevance to our project was the presentation titled “Moving ahead to best support cities and regions,” where we could understand the importance attached by the European Commission to the circular economy issues, and how it aims to promote such projects through the CCRI. In this session, the initiative was explained in more details, highlighting its role in supporting projects in multiple ways, such as providing monitoring support and assisting with their financing. Worth mentioning, the case study about Castilla y Leon (Spain), where the CCRI has helped accelerate the circular economy in the cities, offering technical assistance in developing business models.
The event also included an intense roundtable discussion on the next steps to take in order to shape a more circular Europe, where both private and institutional actors addressed the barriers and drivers in the current process of implementation of circular economy solutions. These challenges include the need for a paradigm shift in consumption patterns, the necessity to advance towards digitalization or the different commitment and paths between different states regarding circular economy.
Lastly, it was very gratifying for FRONTSH1P to have a space at the matchmaking session, where alongside other sister projects, we could showcase our project to interested parties and learn about other projects and strategies. We hope that this will lead to new partnerships and collaborations in the future.
