ACEA
Mar 3, 2024
During the United Nations Environment Assembly (UNEA-6) held in Nairobi from 26th February to 1st March, the world leaders were brought together to discuss the intertwined challenges of climate change, loss of biodiversity, and pollution. The African Circular Economy Alliance stressed how crucial it is for Africa to mainstream the circular economy to tackle these urgent issues and promote sustainable industrial development in the continent.
The UN Environment Programme and the International Resource Panel's 2024 Global Outlook report, as well as the 2024 Circularity Gap Report by the Circle Economy Foundation and Deloitte, have all highlighted key statistics emphasizing the immediate need for action. Given that 83% of African countries heavily rely on their own resources, adopting a circular approach is not just a choice but a necessity. As the leading advocate for circularity in Africa, ACEA presented the continent's perspectives on the circular economy through three side events:
The Alliance took part in a thematic discussion hosted by the World Business Council for Sustainable Development on the Global Circularity Protocol (GCP) on Saturday, February 24th. ACEA, as an Advisory Board member, actively shapes the GCP and supports data-driven, community-centered principles to advance the circular economy as a vital tool for sustainable and equitable economic change in Africa. The Advisory Board for the Global Circularity Protocol is a business-led initiative led by the World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD) in collaboration with the One Planet Network (OPN).
During a side event held on February 27 by the Global Alliance on Circular Economy and Resource Efficiency (GACERE) with the theme "The vital collaboration with financial institutions to drive impactful, sustainable, global action for speeding up the shift towards circular economies and tackling the triple planetary crisis", ACEA emphasized the significance of creating a space for sharing regional perspectives and opportunities. In this context, ACEA, as Africa’s platform for circularity, reaffirmed its commitment to supporting the continent in harnessing the advantages of the circular economy, aligned with the African Union Commission Continental Circular Economy Action Plan 2024-2034.
ACEA joined the Pan-African Climate Justice Alliance's side event focusing on circularity as a crucial tool in the fight against climate change, biodiversity loss, and pollution. The alliance shared valuable information on how African nations can harness the power of circularity to unlock its benefits.
Becoming a member of ACEA is essential for African countries looking to leverage the circular economy. By facilitating knowledge exchange, networking, and access to funding opportunities, ACEA empowers its members to maximize the potential of circularity.