Keep Georgia Tidy Project Component ‘To Map Circular Economy in Georgia’

On 23rd April, 2021, Georgian Society of Nature Explorers “Orchis”, in the frames of ‘To Map Circular Economy in Georgia’ component of the Keep Georgia Tidy Project, organized an on-line kick-off meeting between the Inter-Ministerial Coordination Board of the Government of Georgia and the Task Group of GSNE “Orchis”. The meeting was attended by the Deputy Minister of Environment Protection and Agriculture of Georgia Acad. Solomon Pavliashvili, the Ambassador of the Kingdom of Sweden to Georgia H.E. Mr. Ulrik Tidestrom, the member of the UN Advisory Board on Circular Economy and International Expert of environment protection and circular economy Dr. Dariusz Edward Prasek, the Program Manager of SIDA Mrs. Khatuna Zaldastanishvili, the Chair of GSNE “Orchis” Dr. Mariam Kimeridze, members of the Inter-Ministerial Coordination Board and the Task Team of GSNE “Orchis”.

This component of the project that has been funded by the Government of Sweden aims to map circularity of Georgian economy in close cooperation with the Government of Georgia, including the following key aspects: to map circularity of Georgian economy; to identify and define appropriate quantitative national circular economy policy targets and circular ambitions; to identify sectoral circular economy opportunities; to determine priority sectors for circular economy initiatives and sector-specific policy options; to develop recommendations for the Circular Economy Roadmap and Strategy of Georgia.

The Ministry of Environment Protection and Agriculture of Georgia, in close partnership with the Government of Sweden and in cooperation with the Task Team of the implementing organization – GSNE “Orchis”, is actively engaged in the circular economy mapping process in Georgia. It is noteworthy to mention that the Coordination Board that represents an inter-ministerial working group of the Government of Georgia has been established and approved by the Minister of Environment Protection and Agriculture of Georgia specifically for the achievement of the listed objectives. The Coordination Board will actively participate in the whole mapping process to ensure that the national ambition level defined for Georgia is realistic and in line with overall national development goals as well as sectoral policies and strategies of the country.

The purpose of the on-line kick-off meeting was to start coordination and collaboration between the Task Team of GSNE “Orchis” and the Inter-Ministerial Coordination Board of the Government of Georgia. The topics discuss during the meeting included: the key objectives and tasks to map circularity in Georgian economy, the current status of the Circular Economy Mapping component, the methodological approach proposed by the Task Team of GSNE “Orchis” for the circular economy mapping, the roles of the GoG’s Inter-Ministerial Coordination Board and the Task Team, as well as following steps and key task.

Keep Georgia Tidy Project is being implemented by the NGO Consortium: Georgian Society of Nature Explorers “Orchis”, Keep Georgia Tidy and Greens Movement of Georgia/Friends of the Earth Georgia through funding of the Government of Sweden, with support of Georgian Ministries of Environmental Protection & Agriculture, Regional Development & Infrastructure, Economy & Sustainable Development, and Education, Science, Culture & Sport, and in cooperation with the Solid Waste Management Company of Georgia and Environmental information & Education Centre.