As the recognition of the circular economy continues to grow internationally, so too does Circle Economy's reach; this time into the Czech Republic. Here, Circle Economy will lead city changemakers within Prague through a multi-phase process, from orientation to implementation aimed at creating a practical roadmap for the transition towards a circular city. The innovative methodology has been applied to cities and regions throughout Europe, including Amsterdam, Glasgow and Bilbao-Bizkaia. This new additionally follows the announcement of Circle Economy expanding to China.In late June 2018, Circle Economy and INCIEN officially kicked off Prague’s Circle City Scan with a collaborative workshop marking the beginning of the city’s journey towards a circular economy. The project focuses on the creation of an inclusive circular vision for the Czech capital and supports the co-development of tangible circular strategies, weaving circularity into the fabric of the city. Launching the project in the same spirit in which it will continue, the kick-off brought together stakeholders from a broad array of sectors, including local government, waste management, innovation and urban development. Hosted at the United Nations Information Centre, the collaborative workshop aimed to collectively determine how the circular economy can synergise with the character of the city. Similarly, the project will be conducted in partnership with INCIEN; a Czech, non-profit organization that focuses on innovative environmental management and on projects that share a common goal; to transition from a linear to a circular system.
"We are really excited about the collaboration with Circle Economy. With this partnership, we can combine unique circular knowhow, and experience, within a local context and network in order to develop scalable solutions with a positive impact on the local economy and the environment. We hope Prague is just the beginning and other cities in Czech and Slovakia will soon follow. " - Vojtěch Vosecký, Co-founder, Operations Manager, INCIEN
Importantly, no two cities are identical. Therefore, the workshop provided an important first step to rooting local knowledge and ambitions for the city within the core of the project. This approach allows the identification of key areas in the city with the greatest transformative potential.
“Prague’s rich history and dynamic recent growth present a compelling opportunity to embed circularity into the city’s future development. Combined with its strategic location within Europe, Prague can act as a circular beacon, helping to accelerate the broader growth of the circular economy over the continent. The knowledge and commitment of INCIEN are invaluable and we are excited to work together to develop Prague’s circular vision. ” - Ilektra Kouloumpi, Senior Project Manager, Circle Cities Programme
Building on the momentum of the kick-off workshop in Prague, this project will move on to further scope the inner material workings of the city, analysing its resource flows and pinpointing the sectors within the city that hold the greatest potential for impact in the circular transition. The third and final phase identifies tangible pilot projects to be implemented within the city which serve as a starting point for the transition towards a circular economy. An Action Agenda is created to provide an overview of the immediate actions that the municipality and its stakeholders must take, both in the short and the long term.
“The creation of a circular vision for the City of Prague will provide a foundation for the realisation of new and purposeful collaborations between government, businesses and citizens to implement circular strategies. A city that works for all of its citizens cannot be realised in isolation. We, therefore, call upon Prague’s citizens, businesses and city officials to join us in this collective journey towards the creation of an inclusive and circular Prague.”- Annerieke Douma, Director Program and Business Development, Circle Economy
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