Circular economy principles and practices can serve as a catalyst to promoting human wellbeing, preserving nature, cutting pollution, and making economies more competitive. They encourage systemic efficiency gains by reusing and recycling materials and resources. 

Fiscal pressures and the immediate needs of covering energy demand and ensuring food security make it challenging to put in place the policies that are needed to lay the ground for economic transformation. Despite being widely recognized as an effective vehicle in the fight against climate change, circular economy is not reflected in approximately 60 percent of the submitted NDCs.

In response to this, a high-level side event at COP27 will discuss strategies to accelerate the global shift towards a circular economy in the context of mounting debt levels and a food and energy breakdown that threatens to derail progress towards sustainable development, particularly for developing countries.

To contribute to this urgent discussion, environmental and sustainability experts, practitioners and enthusiasts are invited to submit short contributions in the form of articles, opinions, editorials, blogs, etc., which can inform the discussions and build momentum around the event. Some of the key questions include:

• Which circular economy approaches can facilitate the decarbonisation of industry?
• How can we ensure NDCs frame their targets within the context of a circular economy, given that currently only 40% of NDCs reflect circular economic principles?
• What policy and regulatory frameworks, institutional arrangements and collaboration mechanisms should be put in place to enable the just transition to a circular economy and shift the global mindset?
• Can you share good practices of engaging multistakeholders, including industry and businesses, in designing and implementing circular economy strategies?
• How to attract private investments and finance to accelerate the transition towards a circular economy? How can public finance support this transition?
• How can circular economic principles contribute to a just and inclusive energy transition while ensuring we leave no one behind, including women and youth?

For further guidance, please refer to the guidelines attached.