The Netherlands: one of the world's first circular hotspots?
With all the circular innovation going on in our little flat country (think of Philips, Fairphone or DSM), it's no wonder dame Ellen MacArthur visited the Netherlands back in 2010.
Dame Ellen MacArthur investigates CE in the Netherlands | Ellen MacArthur Foundation (youtube channel)
If it's up to Circle Economy and other organisations & institutions (including us;), the Netherlands should become the world's first circular hotspot!
And plans are shifting into the next gear as we are preparing for the Dutch presidency of the European Union next year. What does it mean?
Various initiatives and collaborations across regions and industries are the fruit of the Dutch circular ambition. Circle Economy will for example launch a circular start-up incubator this year to channel and drive innovation. But let's zoom into 2 national programmes running in parallel: RACE and SER.
The RACE coalition (aka Realisation of Acceleration towards a Circular Economy) combines the strengths of Circle Economy, CLICKNL|DESIGN, de Groene Brein, de Groene Zaak and MVO Nederland. They will also collaborate with Acceleratio, IMSA, RVO.nl and TNO in their endeavours. The project is part of the 'Van Afval naar Grondstof' (from waste to resource) programme of the Ministry of Infrastructure and Environment.
SER (Sociaal-Economische Raad)
Apart from this, the SER (the social-economical council who advice the cabinet and parliament) are also running a circular economy project. Roughly 40 players from political, company and scientific research backgrounds and more are aimed at promoting CE throughout the Netherlands, by creating a portfolio of circular projects, scaling up iconic projects to region and sector levels, accelerating the required changes in national systems and formulating an inspiring vision of the ideal circular state.
There are of course also various other regional and industry-centred projects (which will be discussed later) and the Dutch CE platform Circle Economy is starting a circular start-up incubator later this year. Guido and Arjanna from Circle Economy were already promoting this ambition at the Disruptive Innovation Festival last year November.
Keep your eyes on the Circle Economy website to stay tuned on their awesome work!
Also check out:
Van Afval naar Grondstof programme from the Ministry of Infrastructure and Environment http://www.rijksoverheid.nl/documenten-en-publicaties/kamerstukken/2013/06/20/van-afval-naar-grondstof.html
Overambitious or kickass? Let us know what you think!
More news on the Netherlands and CE will be posted by CircularDelft co-founder Flora on the Ellen MacArthur Foundation's unique news platform biweekly in Dutch.
