The World Circular Economy Forum 2022 will be hosted on the African continent between 6 – 8 December. It is focused on addressing the effects of climate change and on solutions in an African context. Despite having a negligible contribution to climate change – less than two percent according to the UNEP – Africa is home to some of the world’s most innovative circular economy solutions, both high-tech and low-tech.
Rwanda will be the first African country to host the forum, with this year’s theme being African development and circularity. To inspire and implement circular solutions and practices, the forum is set to address topics including infrastructure, climate and nature, entrepreneurship and value chains.
As Rwanda’s Minister of Environment, Jeanne d’Arc Mujawamariya, says:
The circular economy can be a game changer for Africa’s development.
In particular, the forum will examine how a circular economy presents new opportunities for sustainable growth on the African continent.
By developing a country using sustainable and circular growth practices, African countries can gain an advantage in the global circular transition. “The World Circular Economy Forum 2022 is an opportunity for Rwanda and the continent as a whole to showcase our traditions of environmental stewardship, and to explore ways of making the transition to a fully circular economy a reality,” says Mujawamariya.
As the main forum in Rwanda only accommodates 400 people, co-hosts African Circular Economy Network (ACEN) is encouraging further engagement throughout the continent with local events. As part of the World Circular Economy Forum 2022, the ACEN has set up African Studios, which will be hosted in cities including Cape Town, Lagos, Lusaka, and Yaoundé.
African Studios presents an opportunity for other African countries to participate in these discussions, opening space for round table and panel discussions, keynote speakers, and exhibitions to address local issues. The South African chapter of ACEN will host discussions on the 6th and 7th of December at Hotel Verde – the greenest hotel on the continent. These sessions will be held in tandem with the forum.
As a largely agricultural economy with vast inequality, many of the discussions taking place at the South African Studio will be focused on regenerative agriculture, circularity as a development tool, and financing a green transition.
Climate challenges in Africa have become a topic of growing concern as the climate crisis becomes more deeply entangled with social inequalities. This two-day conference offers a dialogue around circularity and development in South Africa, and hopefully, makes the transition to a just sustainable future more tangible.
- All the World Circular Economy Forum 2022 events, taking place from 6-8 December 2022, will be hosted online and attendance is free of charge. You can register for the events here.
- You can view the programme here.
- Cover image: Photo by Megan Ruth on Pexels
