On 31st October 2022, the National Meeting for Mapping Circularity in Georgia was organized in Tbilisi City

National Meeting for Mapping Circularity of Georgia

On 31st October 2022, the National Meeting for Mapping Circularity in Georgia was organized in Tbilisi City, in the conference hall of Rooms Hotel for all stakeholder groups that are key for this process participated. This event was planned in the frames of the project ‘To Map Circular Economy in Georgia’ supported by the Government of Sweden, and implemented by Georgian Society of Nature Explorers “Orchis” (GSNE “Orchis”) in close cooperation with the Government of Georgia (GoG).

Together with the Task Team of GSNE “Orchis” and its International Expert Dr. Dariusz Prasek, the participants of the National Meeting were: Deputy Minister of Environmental Protection and Agriculture Acad. Solomon Pavliashvili, Head of Development Cooperation /Deputy Head of Mission at the Embassy of Sweden Mr. Erik Illes, Deputy Chair of the Environmental Protection and Natural Resources Committee of the Parliament of Georgia Mrs. Khatia Tsilosani, Head of Policy Planning and Governmental Coordination Department of the GoG’s Administration Mr. Vakhtang Katamadze, Head of the Regional Representation of the European Investment Bank Mr. Maciej Czura, Head of the UN Resident Coordinator’s Office in Georgia Ms. Anna Platonova, State Attorney in Kakheti Region Mr. Giorgi Aladashvili, State Attorney in Samegrelo-Zemo Svaneti Region Mr. Giorgi Guguchia and his First Deputy Ms. Nino Vibliani,the Director of Tbilservise Group Ltd Mr. Davit Pachulia, SIDA’s Program Officer Ms. Khatuna Zaldastanishvili, the members of the Inter-Ministerial Coordination Board of the GoG involved in the project ‘To Map Circular Economy in Georgia’, and other invited guests.

The National Meeting was opened by the Chair of GSNE “Orchis” Dr. Mariam Kimeridze. The Deputy Minister of Environmental Protection and Agriculture Acad. Solomon Pavliashvili and the Head of Development Cooperation /Deputy Head of Mission at the Embassy of Sweden Mr. Erik Illes made their welcoming speeches.

The National Meeting was organized to present the results of the circularity mapping that has been finalized recently. It took 24 months of intensive work by the Task Team consisting of 13 experts representing the highest level at various economic sectors. Lots have been done during this 2-period, including the initial screening of 90 economic activities listed in the register of National Office of Statistics those sectors, which could be prospective for transition to circular models of economy. As a result of this, 14 sectors have been identified as having potential (medium; high; extremely high) for developing circularity. The selected 14 sectors have been assessed, and a snap-shot description of each has been prepared, including mass flows of materials (raw materials, products, by-products and wastes), losses and wastes generated, share of recycled wastes and estimation of potential for recycling. Based on this, the task team has recommended national quantitative circular economy policy targets and circular ambitions, identified sectoral opportunities, defined sector-specific policy options and developed a set of recommendations for the Circular Economy Road Map and Strategy for Georgia. And finally, the Circularity Mapping Report has been prepared for Georgia.

During the described complex process of the circularity mapping the Task Team interacted closely with the Inter-Ministerial Co-ordination Board consisting of 36 experts from various ministries and governmental agencies under the leadership of Accad. Solomon Pavliashvili – the Deputy Minister at the Ministry of Environmental Protection and Agriculture of Georgia. In addition, the Task Team carried out extensive consultations and interviews with business leaders and reviewed a great amount of most relevant and most recent reference documents.

The highly valuable feedback has been received in result of these collaboration and consultation processes as well as four plenary meetings organized during these two years to discuss the mapping process with the Inter-Ministerial Co-ordination Board and adequately considered in the Circularity Mapping Report to define national quantitative circular economy policy targets and circular ambitions for the country. The support obtained from the Inter-Ministerial Coordination Board during the circularity mapping process, and especially during the collection and analysis of relevant data should be separately mentioned.

In result of the described immense efforts from the all parties engaged, the circularity level of Georgian economy has been successfully assessed and the Circularity Mapping Report has been prepared. Now this important document is already available, and together with the main findings and recommendations was presented to all key stakeholders at the National Meeting. Furthermore, this high-level meeting was used to go through the whole mapping process once more and present the vision of the Task Team regarding the next steps to be made by Georgia towards the circularity.

The keynote speaker of the National Meeting was the International Expert in the Circular Economy and Team Leader of the Circular Economy Mapping Programme Dr. Dariusz Prasek – the international expert in sustainable finance, environmental, social and governance areas, former Director of Operations in Environmental and Sustainability Department of the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD), member of the United Nations Advisory Board on Circular Economy, and Independent Expert on Development Financing at IDB Invest. Another keynote speaker was the Key National Expert in Sustainable Development and Deputy Team Leader Dr. Medgar Chelidze – the expert in environmental, social, governance and sustainability areas.

Mapping how circular is the economy of Georgia and developing recommendations for the Circular Economy Strategy are the first steps needed for the accelerated transition to circularity. Through the financial support of the Government of Sweden, this process was commenced in 2020 by the GSNE “Orchis” in close cooperation and active engagement of the Ministry of Environmental Protection and Agriculture of Georgia. This Ministry also ensured the establishment of the Inter-Ministerial Coordination Board of the Government of Georgia as the main objectives of the project call for a close collaboration with key governmental structures to enable appropriate mapping of the current circularity level of the national economy and to establish appropriate national quantitative circular economy policy targets and circular ambitions.

The project ‘To Map Circular Economy in Georgia’ has been implemented through funding of the Government of Sweden to accelerate the transition to the circularity through setting national quantitative circular economy policy targets and circular ambitions, identifying sector circular economy opportunities, mapping priority sectors for circular economy initiatives and sector-specific policy options, and developing recommendations for the Circular Economy Roadmap and Strategy of Georgia.

The National Meeting was arranged in the frames of the project ‘To Map Circular Economy in Georgia’ by common efforts of GSNE “Orchis” and the Ministry of Environmental Protection and Agriculture. The project has been implemented by GSNE “Orchis”, through funding of the Government of Sweden, with the support of Georgian Ministries of Environmental Protection & Agriculture, Economy & Sustainable Development, Regional Development & Infrastructure, and Education & Science.