World Circular Economy Forum 2024 – what’s in it for Romania? The lessons we need to learn.

Here’s the thing, I gathered a bunch of information at the World Circular Economy Forum 2024, held mid-April in Brussel. Pages of information about sustainability, examples of policies, campaigns, circular businesses set up around the world that serve as guidelines for best practices, reports on what goes wrong accompanied by solutions to fix the problems, recommendations and the list can go on. I returned back home well packed with theory and networking and with a dominant conclusion (which, by the way, was also the general vibe) that is more heartfelt than rational: we have hope, we’re on the right path!

By Andreea Nicolae, Co-Founder & Managing Partner at PIVOT-C

There are many kinds of people around us: the ones that stand by, those who make plans and the ones who take action. The latest are the people I’ve met in Brussel at the WCEF, thousands of people who attended in person or from online: experts, academics, leaders, politicians, business men, thinkers and doers, armed with knowledge and viable projects, full of energy and with a will to turn around the negative trends and put the economy on a path towards sustainability.

Circular economy is still in an emergent phase in Europe, who holds the leadership and could have a trigger effect around the world. Pivoting the linear economy into a circular one is not a sprint, it is a marathon which requires a systemic change of global scale. The transition will only be possible if we work together. No actor can drive change alone. Our efforts must be concerted to achieve a structural transformation of production and consumption.

Romania makes no exception to all of the above. It should tackle circularity on all levels, on the one hand it needs integrated projects and public-private partnerships, on the other hand it needs individual action – we have to take responsibility and make changes at personal level, in both our mindsets and daily lifestyle.

Romania’s path forward – key takeaways from the WCEF for our country

Although we are now a low performer in circularity metrics, we have a significant opportunity to benefit from this shift.
Circular economy initiatives require holistic approaches. Romania should leverage the recommendations from the Circularity in Action Report that refers to sector specific roadmaps, financial mechanisms, policy harmonization, building capacity, technology transfer, public-private partnerships, consumer awareness campaigns, monitoring and evaluation, innovation hubs, international cooperation.
Regional disparities and diversity are key characteristics of the circular economy: we should not expect perfect solutions, instead we should focus on customizable models for regional and local needs.
Key principles for advancing circularity include collaborations, government support, public-private mechanisms and the role of champions in driving transformation.
Innovation and strategic investments are crucial for advancing circularity and achieving strategic autonomy.
Circularity needs incentives, reshaping business models and, very important, phasing out unsustainable practices.
Circular shifts need changes in consumption patterns, tracking performance, a profound need for systemic transformation across sectors.
Developing a skilled workforce for the circular economy must be a priority.
Storytelling and narratives must evolve from recycling-centric to design focused.
Romania needs to address consumer concerns about price, quality, and convenience regarding circular products and services.
We can gain valuable insights if we learn from other countries’ best practices and (also!) high failures. Just to give a few references: the Nordic countries have a head start on sustainability and circularity. Finland developed the first circular economy roadmap in 2016, they are a pioneer country in this matter; WCEF is actually a global initiative of Finland and Sitra, the Finnish Innovation Fund. Norway, Sweden and the Netherlands are also a beacon for best practices. We have plenty of models out there to draw inspiration from.

There isn’t a perfect model to follow, a perfect circular system, we can even find examples that work perfectly in various places, even if they might be the opposite ends of the spectrum. What we should do is follow the best practices, adapt them at our own frame but in accordance with lessons from other states, within or outside the EU borders.

To those willing to be change makers: join the Romanian hub for circular economy, CIRCULARIO. Together, we can play a key role in facilitating dialogue, identifying projects, and monitoring progress.

About Andreea Nicolae, Co-Founder & Managing Partner at PIVOT-C

With over 25 years in marketing and a keen focus on integrated projects with a sustainability DNA, Andreea Nicolae guides companies in integrating ESG values and circular economy perspectives into their strategies and business models. Connect and collaborate with Andreea on LinkedIn for insights and collaborations in sustainable development.

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