Second High Level Meeting of the Global Alliance on Circular Economy and Resource Efficiency (GACERE)

Name: Second High Level Meeting of the Global Alliance on Circular Economy and Resource Efficiency (GACERE)
Start: 2022-03-02
End: 2022-03-02

2 March 2022

Overview

Agenda

Working paper

Logo GACERE

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.

The main conclusions of the event can be downloaded here.

Watch the recorded event here:

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).

More more information about GACERE, visit www.unep.org/gacere

Contact: Claire Thiebault, UNEP Economy Division, claire.thiebault@un.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.

The GACERE working paper on circular economy and biodiversity offers key facts and figures on the biodiversity loss, and illustrates its impacts on the environment, on people and on our economies. It describes how circular economy can address the drivers of biodiversity loss, and increase positive impacts on nature. The working paper also features recommendations on how to accelerate action.