Comité Económico e Social Europeu
A transição para a economia circular ocupa um lugar cimeiro na ordem do dia do CESE enquanto solução para lutar contra a crise climática e proteger o planeta. Constitui ao mesmo tempo uma excelente oportunidade para a sociedade civil, pois pode contribuir para:
O modelo de produção e consumo linear, baseado no princípio «produz-utiliza-deita fora», que ainda domina a nossa economia não só resulta no desperdício de recursos como também prejudica a luta contra as alterações climáticas. Ao contrário da economia linear, a economia circular assenta numa conceção regenerativa e restauradora centrada na criação e retenção de valor económico, o que permite enfrentar os desafios ambientais a nível mundial, como as alterações climáticas, a perda de biodiversidade e a poluição, colhendo ao mesmo tempo benefícios económicos.
A boa notícia é que a transição para a economia circular já está em marcha no terreno. A nível local e regional, existem inúmeras iniciativas circulares concebidas e executadas pelas partes interessadas da sociedade civil, nomeadamente empresas, sindicatos, universidades e comunidades de conhecimento, organizações de juventude, ONG e outros grupos de interesses. A Europa tem a sua melhor oportunidade para acelerar a transição para a economia circular atuando como catalisador das soluções circulares das partes interessadas pertinentes e do seu papel de liderança neste processo.
Neste sentido, em 2017, o CESE e a Comissão Europeia criaram em conjunto a Plataforma Europeia das Partes Interessadas da Economia Circular, que visa reunir a comunidade da economia circular na Europa. Esta plataforma, dinamizada pelas partes interessadas, apoia a transição europeia para a economia circular promovendo o diálogo, partilhando conhecimentos e fazendo o intercâmbio de boas práticas entre os vários intervenientes.
The COVID-19 crisis has created the conditions for circular products and services to become the norm in Europe, says the EESC. In a recent opinion on the new EU Circular Economy Action Plan, the EESC urges lawmakers to ensure the circular economy finds a place and resources in the overall "greenprint" for Europe's recovery.
The Finnish presidency of the Council of the EU will place the fight against climate change high on its agenda. One of the challenges will be to unite the 28 Member States around this fight and focus on the opportunities that a more sustainable Europe can provide for economic, social and environmental progress.
More than 350 circular economy stakeholders from across Europe shared their success stories and the challenges they face during the second day of the Circular Economy Stakeholder Conference, hosted by the European Economic and Social Committee on 7 March 2019.
The advantages of sorting and recycling plastics must become tangible for European citizens, says the EESC
Opening the Circular Economy Stakeholder Conference at the European Commission on February 20, the President of the European Economic and Social Committee, Georges Dassis, said: "the transition to a circular economy is a great opportunity for civil society. It is already happening on the ground. We can feel it from the commitment and involvement of our businesses, the many initiatives taking place at local and regional level, ...
In March 2017, the European Commission and the European Economic and Social Committee (EESC) launched a joint European Circular Economy Stakeholder Platform (ECESP). The platform’s 24-member coordination group has now been chosen and the list of participants published.
In March this year, the European Commission (EC) and the European Economic and Social Committee (EESC) launched a joint European Circular Economy Stakeholder Platform. The 24 members forming the coordination group of the platform have now been selected and are preparing for their first meeting on 22 November.
Insularity is considered to be a permanent and unchangeable geographical feature which involves additional costs (transport, energy, waste management, public services, necessity goods and services) that hamper the development and competitiveness of the islands, while particularly exposing them to biodiversity loss and climate change. The organised civil society has an important role to play and tackle all these challenges and through this debate. The aim is to find the best practices and solutions so that EU islands can preform better and recover from the multiple crises.
The European Economic and Social Committee (EESC) will be producing an own-initiative opinion on the main challenges faced by EU islands and mountainous and sparsely populated areas, which is scheduled for adoption at the EESC's September plenary session. In this context, the EESC, along with the Conference of Peripheral Maritime Regions (CPMR) and the North Sweden European Office (NSEO), will be holding a public hearing in Umeå (Sweden) on 4 May 2023 entitled "Challenges and opportunities that the digital and energy transitions present to the northern sparsely populated areas and islands. How can these regions become drivers for growth and development?". The hearing is an event under the Swedish Presidency of the Council of the EU.
With this debate, the ECO section is providing ex-ante input to the European Commission, in preparation for the upcoming 2023 strategic foresight cycle that wants to shed light on the strategic decisions needed to ensure a socially and economically sustainable Europe with a stronger role in the world in the coming decades.
