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The need - The city government wanted to stimulate innovative economic activity, create new jobs, and improve the quality of life for Brussels’ citizens in unity with the city’s environmental goals.
The solution - The Brussels government set up Be Circular, a regional programme for the circular economy, in 2016. It focuses on harnessing opportunities presented by a circular economy, including reconciling economic and environmental objectives, supporting local production, optimising land use, and integrating transportation requirements.
The outcomes - The programme has played an important role in giving entrepreneurs and businesses the confidence and momentum to apply new ways of operating, and opened up additional networks and partnerships.
How does the initiative support the transition to a circular economy? - Through this initiative, the city is giving businesses the opportunity to implement and scale circular economy solutions, helping them reduce the ecological footprint of the region, and speed up the transition towards a circular economy.
Explore more about Circular Economy in Cities
This case study belongs to the Ellen MacArthur Foundation’s Circular Economy in Cities suite of online resources, which acts as a reference point for urban policymakers on the circular economy. It draws out opportunities in three key urban systems - buildings, mobility, and products - and looks at how city governments can enable a circular economy transition.
Five modules aim to answer the critical questions on this topic:
- Vision: What will the implementation of circular economy principles in cities look like?
- Factsheets: What are the circular economy opportunities in key urban systems and what benefits can a circular economy transition bring?
- Policy levers: What can urban policymakers do to accelerate this transition?
- Case studies: What examples are there of urban policymakers already putting this into action?
- Other networks & resources: What are other organisations doing on the topic of circular economy and cities?