A webinar organized by the UN Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE) and Geneva Trade Platform and hosted by the Geneva Graduate Institute’s Centre for Trade and Economic Integration explored circular economy opportunities arising from value chains, trade, and trade facilitation in transition economies in Central Asia, the Caucasus, and the Western Balkans.
The webinar convened on 8 December, as part of the World Circular Economy Forum, on the theme, ‘Promoting Circularity in Transition Economies: The Role of Trade and Economic Cooperation.’ The event served as a platform for representatives from UNECE programme countries to share success stories and exchange perspectives and lessons learned.
Elisabeth Tuerk, Director, Economic Cooperation and Trade, UNECE, moderated the session.
Olga Algayerova, UN Under-Secretary-General and Executive Secretary, UNECE, offered opening remarks. She noted that by 2050, the world will have 9 billion people to feed, while at the same time providing access to sustainable energy, tackling climate change, and promoting resilience, inclusiveness, and sustainability. Highlighting the role of effective economic cooperation, Algayerova said transition to a circular economy “will bring us closer to the SDGs” and promote a thriving economy to benefit everyone. She underscored the importance of capacity building through the exchange of best practices and lessons learned to enable circular pathways in transition economies.
Kreshnik Bekteshi, Minister of Economy, North Macedonia, discussed North Macedonia’s efforts to promote more sustainable production, consumption, and waste management. He highlighted strategic objectives and policies to support a circular approach in trade, the greening of industries and sectors, and better environmental performance of processes and products. Bekteshi outlined a national programme for competitiveness and entrepreneurship, which supports companies’ efforts to adopt circular economy principles through, among others, recycling, remanufacturing, and waste prevention and management. He underscored his country’s commitment to a “cleaner world” and environmental protection at the national and regional levels.
Nino Tandilashvili, Deputy Minister of Environment Protection and Agriculture, Georgia, underscored the need to ensure sustainable development for the sake of future generations, and stressed the role of international collaboration in achieving a green and sustainable recovery from COVID-19. She noted that circular economy is crucial for achieving climate-friendly development and creating new jobs, and reported that Georgia is focusing on sectors with high potential for circular economy. Tandilashvili reported on national regulations to strengthen environmental governance, and highlighted the role of public-private partnerships (PPPs) in reducing waste and pollution.
Olzhas Sartayev, CEO, Special Economic Zone, ‘Park of Innovative Technologies,’ Almaty, Kazakhstan, described policies, efforts, and initiatives that seek to promote green growth in Kazakhstan. He highlighted, inter alia, his country’s concept strategy for transition to a green economy, and the recently established ministry dedicated to the environment and ecology. Sartayev reported on efforts to promote circularity in Almaty in transport, agriculture, construction, industry, and waste, among other sectors. He highlighted the role of active citizenship and the importance of innovation to foster transition to a circular economy.
Aleksandra Vucinic, Head, Group for Circular and Green Economy, Ministry of Environmental Protection, Serbia, said her country has achieved partial transition from linear to circular economy, stressing the need to include the concept in all sectors for full implementation. She outlined challenges recognized in a 2018 gap analysis, and noted that a 2020 roadmap for circular economy in Serbia seeks to motivate industry to create new jobs and find sustainable market solutions. Vucinic reported on existing and planned strategies and programmes directed at promoting circular economy in industry, public procurement, production, and waste management. Noting that “regulation does not follow strategic documents,” she stressed the need for more laws to support implementation and for improved public awareness.
Marianne Kettunen, Principal Policy Analyst and Head of Programme, Institute for European Environmental Policy (IEEP), addressed the role trade can play in supporting transition to circular economy. She identified key elements of the EU Circular Economy Action Plan, developed as part of the European Green Deal, including expanded sector coverage. She said the Action Plan provides a policy framework for sustainable products and production standards, and provides options for trade partners to cooperate, noting decreasing demand for raw materials among the challenges.
Kettunen highlighted the World Trade Organization’s (WTO) efforts to promote circular economy as a tool to support green recovery, including discussions during the WTO Trade and Environment Week and the launch of structured discussions on trade and environmental sustainability. She recommended that in their efforts to achieve circularity, transition economies go beyond recycling, and build on trade relationships with the EU and on regional initiatives.
During discussion, participants addressed, among other issues:
tools to identify competitive areas for promoting circular economy;
ways to stimulate circularity in small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs);
challenges in waste recycling; and
ways to reconcile circular economy with international trade rules.
In closing, Tuerk identified scope for more work, and urged approaching circular economy from national, international, regional, and city perspectives.
The webinar was organized with support from the Finnish Innovation Fund Sitra. The discussions contributed to the preparations for the 69th Commission session of UNECE member States to be held in April 2021 under the theme, ‘Promoting Circular Economy and Sustainable Use of Natural Resources in the UNECE Region.’ [Webinar Recording] [UNECE Event Webpage] [SDG Knowledge Hub Sources]
TORONTO – Strength in the base metal and technology sectors helped Canada’s main stock index gain almost 100 points on Friday, while U.S. stock markets also climbed higher.
The S&P/TSX composite index closed up 93.51 points at 23,568.65.
In New York, the Dow Jones industrial average was up 297.01 points at 41,393.78. The S&P 500 index was up 30.26 points at 5,626.02, while the Nasdaq composite was up 114.30 points at 17,683.98.
The Canadian dollar traded for 73.61 cents US compared with 73.58 cents US on Thursday.
The October crude oil contract was down 32 cents at US$68.65 per barrel and the October natural gas contract was down five cents at US$2.31 per mmBTU.
The December gold contract was up US$30.10 at US$2,610.70 an ounce and the December copper contract was up four cents US$4.24 a pound.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 13, 2024.
OTTAWA – Statistics Canada says wholesale sales, excluding petroleum, petroleum products, and other hydrocarbons and excluding oilseed and grain, rose 0.4 per cent to $82.7 billion in July.
The increase came as sales in the miscellaneous subsector gained three per cent to reach $10.5 billion in July, helped by strength in the agriculture supplies industry group, which rose 9.2 per cent.
The food, beverage and tobacco subsector added 1.7 per cent to total $15 billion in July.
The personal and household goods subsector fell 2.5 per cent to $12.1 billion.
In volume terms, overall wholesale sales rose 0.5 per cent in July.
Statistics Canada started including oilseed and grain as well as the petroleum and petroleum products subsector as part of wholesale trade last year, but is excluding the data from monthly analysis until there is enough historical data.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 13, 2024.
TORONTO – Canada’s main stock index was up more than 150 points in late-morning trading, helped by strength in the base metal and energy sectors, while U.S. stock markets were mixed.
The S&P/TSX composite index was up 172.18 points at 23,383.35.
In New York, the Dow Jones industrial average was down 34.99 points at 40,826.72. The S&P 500 index was up 10.56 points at 5,564.69, while the Nasdaq composite was up 74.84 points at 17,470.37.
The Canadian dollar traded for 73.55 cents US compared with 73.59 cents US on Wednesday.
The October crude oil contract was up $2.00 at US$69.31 per barrel and the October natural gas contract was up five cents at US$2.32 per mmBTU.
The December gold contract was up US$40.00 at US$2,582.40 an ounce and the December copper contract was up six cents at US$4.20 a pound.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 12, 2024.
