On 24th October 2022, the 8th Conference on Circular Economy – “Accelerating the Transition to the Circular Economy and Addressing Climate Change – The Role of Education” will be held in Tbilisi

On 24th October 2022, the 8th Conference on Circular Economy – “Accelerating the Transition to the Circular Economy and Addressing Climate Change – The Role of Education” will be held in Tbilisi at the Hotel Courtyard Marriott to facilitate the accelerated transition to the circularity and efficient implementation of this system in Georgia.

The target audience of the Conference will be universities of Georgia and other educational entities to further discuss with them what is the circular economy and how it links to the climate change, and what is the role of education sector in the transition to the circularity and addressing climate change. This will be the second event organized for the higher education sector at their request after the 6th CE Conference held for them in March 2022, which raised a lot of interest and resulted in a stimulating discussion on how to incorporate circularity principles in educational curricula and provide information about circular economy in their training programmes.

The keynote speaker of the conference will be Dr. Dariusz Edward Prasek, an International Expert in sustainable finance, environmental, social and governance areas and Circular Economy, member of the United Nations Advisory Board on Circular Economy, former Director of Operations in Environmental and Sustainability Department of the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, Independent Expert on Development Financing at IDB Invest, who will deliver basic information together with practical examples how circularity principles could be implemented, particularly among Small and Medium Sized Enterprises and what is the specific role of the universities in this process.

The Conference will be organized in the frames of the ongoing programme being implemented by CSO Georgian Society of Nature Explorers “Orchis” and supported by the Government of Sweden to raise awareness about circular economy in Georgia. In the frames of the programme, total eight conferences have been organized during 2019-2022 for key stakeholders and enablers of the transition process, including the state, regional and municipal authorities, policy makers and the Parliament, financial sector, business sector in overall and SMEs of Georgia and Azerbaijan in particular, as well as universities and other educational entities of Georgia.

This training programme has been designed through funding of the Government of Sweden to raise awareness about the circular economy among wide range of stakeholders and provide recommendations how to speed the adoption of circular economy principles at various levels of the national economy. Particular emphasis is put on recommendations such are: improving financing conditions, removing barriers for circular economy projects, identifying main areas where incentives should be provided, educating experts in variety of areas.

• The circular economy is a model of production and consumption, which involves sharing, leasing, reusing, repairing, refurbishing and recycling existing materials and products as long as possible. In this way, the life cycle of products is extended and waste is reduced to a minimum.

• A circular economy is a systemic approach to economic development designed to benefit businesses, society, and the environment. Circular development is a model of socially and environmentally responsible production and consumption that aims to build a sustainable society.

• The circular economy concept is gaining attention in light of increasing consumption and resource use by a fast-growing population with rising standards of living. This is a new economic model that represents sustainable progress towards efficient green growth and could notably contribute to the climate change mitigation.

• Like with any systemic change, the transition to the circular economy requires several elements of the system to change simultaneously, what requires concerted actions by a host of stakeholders. Universities and other educational entities can play an important role in creating circular businesses, as they can educate experts in a variety of areas to correctly identify, conceptualise and develop circular business models and projects that are both sound and bankable, and congruent with a long-term development vision and strategy for the transition to the circular economy. These experts can advise and improve the economic viability and bankability of projects; and visualise collaborative arrangements within the supply chain to fully embrace the circularity principles, to ensure circular business models become the best option for companies willing to gain competitive advantage and maintain their market share while aligning their goals with society’s goals.

• The circular economy is not the responsibility of a chosen few. We all have the right to participate in the creation of a sustainable future. Circular economy education is not aimed at educating special experts in the circular economy. The objective is that in the future all of us will need to have sound knowledge of circular economy principles and basics, and to know how to implement circular economy solutions in our respective areas of expertise.

The 8th Conference on Circular Economy has been organized commonly by the Ministry of Environmental Protection and Agriculture of Georgia and Georgian Society of Nature Explorers “Orchis” in the frames of the Circular Economy Programme financed by the Government of Sweden and implemented by GSNE “Orchis” with the support of Georgian Ministries of Environmental Protection & Agriculture, Economy and Sustainable Development, Regional Development & Infrastructure, and Education & Science.