资源环境科技发展态势分析平台

This event aims to highlight the role that trade relations between the EU and Nigeria can have in fostering circular economy approaches and opportunities.

Friday 25 March
10:00-11:00 GMT+1
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Building a more circular economy is key to sustainable growth and addressing challenges like climate change. The uptake of the circular economy is increasing worldwide, and cooperation on an international level is key to unlocking the benefits of scale tied to a global circular economy. This event aims to highlight existing efforts by Nigeria and the EU to foster circular economy approaches and opportunities through their trade relations. The event is co-hosted by the Lagos State Environmental Protection Agency (LASEPA) together with the Finnish Innovation Fund Sitra and the Institute for European Environmental Policy (IEEP).

In March 2020, the EU took a substantial step forward towards the transition to a European circular economy by adopting a new EU Circular Economy Action Plan (CEAP). The CEAP recognizes the need to scale up towards a global circular economy, notably proposing the establishment of global cooperation initiatives such as the Global Circular Economy Alliance (GACERE) and advancing circular economy objectives through free trade agreements (FTAs) and other trade policies.

Nigeria is also actively developing circular economy initiatives as a founding member of the Africa Circular Economy Alliance and with the constitution on the Nigeria Circular Economy Working Group tasked to design a national policy framework to foster CE principles in the country. This context provides an opportunity to identify avenues for closer cooperation on the implementation of circular economy policies and practices bilaterally.

IEEP will present the main findings of its case study on EU-Nigeria trade and circular economy policies developed as part of a project funded by the Finnish innovation fund Sitra. The case study identifies key sectors that benefit from the Nigeria-EU trade relations as well as show potential for further collaboration and integration of circular economy practices.

The webinar seeks to explore the following questions:

• What can be the role of EU trade policy initiatives in supporting a circular economy transition? How does this manifest in EU trade relations with developing countries in general and in Nigeria in particular?
• What are the specific challenges faced by developing countries? What are the solutions to foster the tenets of circularity at all levels of commerce and industry in developing economies? How to build a sense of community ownership for Circular oriented solutions, interventions and policies?
• Which roles can governments play in promoting circularity? What incentives and support mechanisms are necessary to help developing economies’ private sector in its move towards more circular business models?

IEEP will present the findings of the EU-Nigeria case study, followed by a moderated panel discussion with key stakeholders implementing and working on circular economy solutions in Nigeria and the EU for their thoughts and reactions.