Circular Economy

Did You Know?

The circular economy creates value, and ultimately prosperity: it works by extending product lifespan through improved design and servicing, and by relocating waste from the end of the supply chain to the beginning—in effect, using resources more efficiently by using them over and over, and not just once. As such, UNIDO works to build systems that deliver growth and prosperity by protecting the environment; the Organization helps developing economies build integrated cleaner production systems while creating pathways to a circular economy through the provision of technical and policy advice on how to switch to cleaner more efficient energy systems.

How is Circular Economy approached?

UNIDO’s conviction is to help advance circular economy models, in particular in developing economies. Many of its ongoing projects already address various building blocks of a circular economy: some support cleaner manufacture of products, others help develop safe, easy-to-recycle products with longer lifetimes while others deal with the recovery or safe disposal of resources at the end of a product’s life. The Organization is positioning itself as a key provider of technical cooperation to enable the smooth transition to a circular economy approach. UNIDO’s work on ensuring that the circular economy will benefit the global economic system, also through the application of international agreements such as the Kigali Agreement, the Montreal Protocol, and the Stockholm Convention.

Who are the active players in this field?

UNIDO, together with Member States, is encouraging the adoption of circular economy principles and practices that would lead to more resource efficiency and less waste. UNIDO has partnered with UN Environment as well as with the governments of Austria and Switzerland, among others, to implement circular economy solutions.