Location: Global (Asia, Europe, Africa)
Themes: Circular Economy Knowledge Hub
The Challenge
The SWITCH-Asia programme recognises the contribution of regional stakeholder platforms and networks that support sustainable consumption and production (SCP) and circular economy (CE) implementation. Such platforms involve SMEs and business intermediaries into facilitating adoption of cleaner technologies and more sustainable industrial practices, as well as help consumers to act more responsibly in their daily choices. If successful, such platforms and networks contribute into improved SCP and CE national strategies and action plans and, as a result towards more sustainable practices.
Globally, the pace towards the transition to a circular economy has been hindered by a lack of adequate knowledge, evidence, and the managerial and technical capacities required to turn commitments into tangible actions. There has also been insufficient engagement from the private sector and civil society in policy-making processes, coupled with poor coordination and coherence across global, regional, and national levels.
As the number of circular economy projects and initiatives increases globally, a significant challenge they face is their tendency to operate in silos. This occurs despite the frequent overlap in topics, objectives, and target audiences. The root of this issue lies in the differing interpretations of the circular economy principles—variations manifest in technical terminology, prioritized sectors, stakeholder groups, and cultural distinctions.
These issues, among others, have led to a fragmented approach to managing and disseminating knowledge, skills and information required for strengthening actions towards green and circular economy. Addressing these challenges requires on one hand, systemic and extensive changes to economic models and business practices at different levels. On the other hand, the transition towards the circular economy will also necessitate strong support for innovation and the expansion of actionable knowledge across countries and regions.
Objectives
This intervention co-implemented by the SWITCH-Asia Policy Support Component and the Green Growth Knowledge Platform (GGKP) has the ambition to develop a common framework on Circular Economy principles and “knowledge taxonomies” (categories, tags, types of contents) by actively involving several regional and global circular economy knowledge and stakeholder platforms (Asia, Europe, Africa) into their development. Through GGKP AI-assisted knowledge management infrastructure, such framework would contribute into:
- Improved availability and applicability of practical and experience-based CE knowledge for decision makers, including policy makers;
- Improved searchability, access and contextual understanding of good practice CE knowledge and expertise for initiatives supporting green and CE actions;
- Improved awareness of the business agenda and case for CE among SMEs;
- Overall improved knowledge management practices in Circular Economy Platforms.
