First Plenary Meeting on Circular Economy Mapping in Georgia

On 1st July 2021, Georgian Society of Nature Explorers “Orchis”, in the frames of the component ‘To Map Circular Economy in Georgia’ of the Keep Georgia Tidy Project, organized the first Plenary Meeting on Circular Economy Mapping in Georgia in order to discuss between the Inter-Ministerial Coordination Board of the Government of Georgia (GoG) and the Circular Economy Mapping task team of the Georgian Society of Nature Explorers “Orchis” the aspects and challenges of the circular economy mapping process in Georgia as well as the methodological approach selected for the development of the road map to circularity. The representatives of the Parliament of Georgia and the GoG (the Ministries of Environment Protection & Agriculture, Economy & Sustainable Development, and Regional Development & Infrastructure), the GoG’s Inter-Ministerial Coordination Board, the Embassy of the Kingdom of Sweden / Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (Sida), media and others attended the meeting.

The meeting was opened by the Deputy Prime-minister of Georgia, Minister of Environment Protection and Agriculture Mr. Levan Davitashvili. Welcoming speeches were made by the Deputy Minister of Environment Protection and Agriculture Acad. Solomon Pavliashvili who also made a presentation “Aspects of Circular Economy and Challenges Faced by Georgia”, the Head of Development Cooperation/Deputy Head of Mission Mr. Erik Illes, and the Chair of Georgian Society of Nature Explorers “Orchis” Dr. Mariam Kimeridze.

A keynote speaker of the Plenary Meeting was Dr. Dariusz Edward Prasek, the leader of the Circular Economy Mapping programme, an International Expert in 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 (EBRD), and an Independent Expert on Development Financing at IDB Invest, who informed the participants about the main aspects of the accelerated transition to the circular economy as well as the methodological approach selected for the circular economy mapping and development of the road map to circularity. The Deputy Minister of Environment Protection and Agriculture of Georgia Acad. Solomon Pavliashvili and the Key National Expert in Sustainable Development (Deputy Team Leader, GSNE “Orchis”) Dr. Medgar Chelidze discussed the ongoing status of the Circular Economy Mapping component, the roles of the GoG’s Inter-Ministerial Coordination Board and the Task Team, as well as following steps and key task at this stage.

With the concerted efforts of the GoG, civil society organisations, academia and international partners, Georgia has initiated the development of the circular economy strategy and roadmap based on a comprehensive multidimensional approach that covers production, consumption, waste management, secondary raw materials, innovation, investments as well as ongoing initiatives in different sectors implemented by different players that are at different stages of the value chain or different stages of development.

The Plenary Meeting was organized by Georgian Society of Nature Explorers “Orchis” in the frames of the component ‘To Map Circular Economy in Georgia’ of the Keep Georgia Tidy Project through funding of the Government of Sweden, with support of Georgian Ministries of Environment Protection & Agriculture, Regional Development & Infrastructure, Economy & Sustainable Development, and Education & Science and the Parliament of Georgia, and in cooperation with the Solid Waste Management Company of Georgia and Environmental Information & Education Centre.