 So yes, so my name is Elliot Whittington. I am the director of CLG Europe Which is one of the partner groups within the women business coalition and working within within the EU We have been running a project called the materials of project task force It's actually on the list just outside the room for those of you who have taken a moment to read that And it's apparently we produce unsafe slidesets. So we will need to work on that So I'm very pleased and we have Some key important guests who will help us talk about this we launched the materials and products task force at COP26 last year And we have run I'm gonna go back for a second And we've been able to run this as a kind of dialogue between European businesses and European policymakers Exploring how materials and products can be transformed that we can accelerate and grow the market for new Low-carbon more sustainable materials and products And the key thing that we want to talk to you about today is how circularity and climate change come together A really important subject. So, you know, many businesses will talk about the circular economy as a key strategy in the industrial sector And obviously we're here at a whole discussion which is all around climate action But sometimes these two conversations don't aren't unified enough The circularity is a really important strategy, but it needs to be a strategy that is following up on on a key goal And so so what we have been trying to do is talk about how these things relate together So the team has put together a very good agenda Unfortunately because we're slightly So it's timings and guests are not with it. This is Indicative rather than exact but broadly speaking I'm going to introduce you to our work and then we have speakers including Anthony Abbott from Rockwell Helen O'Han Ogland from the Ministry of Environment in Sweden and hopefully Vincente Seisson from CMEX who will hopefully join us as we move on And respond to it. Chiara Martinelli from from can Europe. So we will we'll have that conversation We hope we'll use the next 40 minutes. Well to kind of talk about this subject But if you if you stick with me, I just want to talk about the the report that we have recently been able to launch so Europe has I mean it's interesting actually if I if I think about the keynote the really interesting keynote from the previous session one of the kind of lessons from that was that whilst there is a Long way to go and whilst there is a huge kind of justice concern The European countries are and some of the most successful in terms of decarbonizing There is a lot more that needs to be done So Europe has made great strides on its climate action But there is a lot further to go on on the circularity a lot of climate action so far has been focused on key sectors like Transport and energy and if we look at particularly the industrial sectors and think about how those can transform and Circularity comes forward as a really essential strategy a really important strategy So we've recently published a briefing called green circularity. It's available on the website today is the day of its launched and You know we have sort of identified that there is a huge opportunity in unifying these conversations and bring them together much more concertedly But to do that There's a need to address some of the wider issues in the conversation results and the challenges that business encounter When they are driving to become more circular and sustainable We also kind of noted while we're inputting that out that the current context the the Context of the Russian invasion of Ukraine the context of high energy prices actually really Illustrates the importance and the value of being not overly dependent on external material flows and being able to have that Diversity and the efficiency that can come with circularity. So it's a it's a really important moment And I hope you'll agree a really important message. We've been able to deliver So we launched the task force to take this this work forward. These are the current members We we launched it last year with Six of these so the group has grown by three members it over the year it's a and it's already been able to have impact in terms of Driving the conversation with EU policy makers and we've had a lot of response particularly from the European Commission Who have seen the value of this focus? And of the work that we've been able to do The recommendations that we came out with in this report So I talked about sort of key challenges that needed to be to be addressed if we're able to kind of scale up circularity One of the most important things is The need to be clearer on the meanings of metrics surrounding the sector economy So it's it's a narrative that a lot of people have adopted have understood as being essential to Move forward but without clarity on the meanings of metrics It's it's actually difficult to work out where the pathways forward are And so if we can have more clarity and that needs to be set from a from a policymaker level from a government level So that it's a shared clarity. That's really important We've also identified the absolute importance of demand side policy as a lever to drive change you know one of the things that I note within a lot of these conversations is the value of Work within the business value chain the supply chain those kind of relationships as being critical and There is a huge role in terms of demand side policy for both triggering Those value chains to transform but also facilitating the flow of information and materials up and down that value train So you can check, you know, are you able to buy a truly sustainable or a zero carbon material? Or are you buying something that somebody is claiming and they don't have the clarity over what it is So that that's a really important thing We also see this is an area of innovation We you know the EU has its cleaner circular economy action plan as it develops that and builds it We see a huge importance in the role of stakeholder consult consultation This is very much an evolving landscape And so policymakers need to understand from the business community from from civil society from other actors how this conversation is evolving and so that there needs to be a live process of consultation and that needs to Really show up in the development of further legislative action and then finally we see You know the fundamental importance of financial and investment policy in driving circularity And we think we kind of hear about that a lot these days, you know, so the ability of ensuring that You know, we can have a greater understanding within the finance community of the value of circular practices and of their ability to Deliver reduced risk increased opportunity and so therefore there the importance of valuing and valuing the financial return So those are some of the key messages that we wanted to put out there I'm very pleased and I maybe if I could invite the speakers in the room. So Anthony Helen and Chiara up to join me and we can just have a brief conversation about some of these things now. I'm conscious Anthony is going to need to leave fairly soon. So even though we have an agenda I'm going to slightly. Yeah, please do take a seat and if I can give that to you Even though we had an agenda I'm going to we're going to slightly freestyle as we go through if that's okay So we'll use this as an opportunity for a useful conversation But basically because because I know your time is somewhat limited of we're all logistically challenged in this context I wanted to start with you Anthony and let's start with you wish to actually you were there in Glasgow in cop 26 when we launched The task force and you've been part of it and so can you make I asked you maybe to give a business perspective on how we've been able to take this conversation forward Yeah, thanks Elliot You know circularity is is is close to our hearts and when I say our hearts. I'm coming from a company Rockwell Danish company family owned and we're producing Stonewall around the world Stonewalls well known for its insulation Properties, but it's also used in in other sectors horticultural substrates So so for us Circularity and decarbonation they go they go very close together I think von der Leyen and she said that 50% of the carbon reduction carbon emission reductions that we need to achieve by 2050 needs to come from circular business models and We work with circularity in different ways For example, they're feedstock. We're utilizing 650,000 tons every year of Material from other industries. I don't like calling it waste Because we need to move away from calling it waste But upcycling that material and that's improving the energy efficiency of our processes So at the end of the day reducing the carbon intensity of our factory on the other on the other side We're trying to bring back more material from the value chain So bringing it back from the market from the construction sites from the demolition sites We're increasing volumes but we're challenged and Some of those challenges relate to our own challenges You know because we're a company that is used to getting products out to market reverse logistics that's that's a totally different ball game and You know being able to work with our value chain Partners with waste companies to make that happen We're Improving for sure we have some markets particularly in the Nordics where we have been doing this for for many many years Much mature a situation in other markets. It's more difficult so if We're gonna drive circularity and we're very interested as a company in doing that because it makes sense from a Decarbonization perspective it makes sense from a commercial perspective our customers want Products that are that have a higher recycled content that where we're offering the service to them to get rid of their material On the construction sites if we're able to succeed then we need conducive conditions in the in the in the market now one example one of the challenges Relates to landfill prices because at the moment it's too cheap in a number of different markets to actually get rid of that material By landfilling it so we need some economic incentives to change that cost So that suddenly it's becoming more attractive to recycle we're seeing examples in different countries where that's happening Germany is a very good example where They are banning the landfilling of recyclable products 2024 we're very supportive of that what we've got to make sure is that at the same time it's proportionally Economically less attractive to have products that aren't recyclable So that's that's one condition one area that that we need to to fix another example as I mentioned earlier is Moving away from calling it waste and also regulating it as waste, but regulating it as a as a valuable material We're sometimes challenged in transporting the material across borders And sometimes those borders Can be within the country we in Spain for example there can be regional borders Whereas it's very very difficult to transport that material If you start Regulating it as a material a valuable material rather than a waste then suddenly it's much easier to transport that material And it means that we can move the material around so that we we can Send it to factories for example that have the capacity to to take it So there's a couple of examples of the constraints that need to be Addressed if we're going to succeed on the on the circularity agenda. Thank you, Anthony that's brilliant and So maybe we'll hear from our two business speakers and then come to you Helen if that's okay So it's a slight change in agenda, but I'm very grateful that Vicente has been able to join us and If it's not springing on you too much if I could ask you again so we're talking about this conversation about how circularity can really support the development of a ambitious climate agenda and So to hear from you as a kind of business that's that's kind of supporting and adopting that and your perspective on what policy needs to do To enable it. Yeah, well, I think in in circularity It's a specially important policy and I think it's the enabler for for it to create their virtual cycle because when you're dealing with waste normally There has to be some basic economics for that So so normally waste is a is a tough thing to do to create some economics to be able to transform and and to And to transform it into something else. So I think Policies is very important We have operations in in we are a building materials manufacturer and One of our main levers to reduce CO2 is to to substitute fossil fuels for solid municipal waste which is and will become the the alternative fuel for us now and in the future and Although the conversation here is how Europe can be improved the reality is that Europe is already at a great level Compared to other places because of regulation because at least you have the basic framework in which you have created the basic incentives for Landfill to be although you would want it more expensive. It's already quite High compared to other places where it's absolutely very low No, so that has already allowed for even a whole sector to be created of waste manage specialized waste management companies that then can Transform it and then provided it was in in Germany in Poland and in the UK our fuel Generally speaking in our business fuel cost Is around 30 or 30 to 40 percent of our total variable cost in Germany Poland and in the UK where there's a regulatory framework for Circularity the basic one where their incentives are carefully corrected carefully drafted We are a paid to get rid of solid municipal waste that is processed so it has become an income source and When we reach very high levels of substitution in Poland, we are substituting 90 percent of our fuels with alternative fuels And we have a Negative cost or it's an income our our item for for for fuels So that's the power of basic even the basic policies is very powerful and can really create a Big change in waste Completely changing the way that you see it Another example in developing countries, which is very tough to do because landfill costs are very low There's no restriction for landfill etc. You can find very specific situations Mexico City 20 million people it had it used to have a big landfill that it was so big and Became completely impossible to manage and at some point and one authority Ten years ago decided that that landfill could not take in any additional waste Just by taking the decision of no more waste to that landfill all of a sudden that waste had to travel Further and we were able to put some transfer centers for the waste and and we are diverting that waste and now there is no more That part of waste that is inorganic Certain characteristics is no longer Going to the landfill because we are being able to divert it just from the economics of going to have Having to go further So with very basic elements in policy You can make big changes and and and make and make The economics work and immediately as economics work Then you start the the companies start to get involved and develop the business Great. Thank you. Maybe I have a couple of questions for you for the both of you before Anthony needs to leave So I mean it's really interesting kind of make as you made the analogy between what happens in Europe and also You know so CMEX is home market Mexico obviously you're operating a number of markets Do you do you see? scope for European action to be you know for international collaboration on some of these questions because obviously as we're talking about Reinventing value change that needs to happen globally as well as locally. Yeah, they're there certainly can be collaboration and even at the policy level we have taken authorities from Latin America to visit the operations in Europe and we have Created exchange of experiences between authorities. So even at the policy level You you can do that No, and and we are trying to do actually know what what what we have accomplished in Mexico with the very basic elements Now we are bringing authorities from Panama from Colombia to visit Mexico and to see what can be done with ways so you can do with policy, but you can also do with with Businesses that are dedicated to that So for sure you can create a whole new business sector based on the experience that is already existing Abroad or in Europe and you can bring it to other markets Last question for you before I get you to pass the mic because it's like kind of logistical thing that we need to navigate so I'm interested, you know You talked about how small changes in policy can enable broader action and one of the things that we've identified as a key area Is financing? Is that something that you would see, you know, do you see that you've got various kind of financial Products and engagements is that something where you would see that there is an opportunity for green financing to enable further action in this this area of circularity, I think I Would say that the basic element for any financing is that you have to Find the right economics for that to be a business and if it's a business then the fund Will support that so so I think financing would I wouldn't consider financing to be the ball next Because if it's a viable business proposition, then it happens if the policy is not in place And then the economics are not there then you would need some type of grants or Subsidies or something like that that is a different type of funding. Yeah, but but for normal fight. Well financing for this Banks are very eager if there's a business case and if you can demonstrate that it's a viable situation. We actually Use our normal financing to fund projects to invest in in circularity In the circularity part of our business and it's very it has a very high return on investment and No problem very very high levels of and very short paybacks So if that's the case then you financing is not an issue Brilliant, maybe I could pass the mic down very gracefully Anthony if we kind of build on this conversation You were talking I mean I really took from what you were saying these kind of practical examples in this sense of constraints that you were Kind of pushing against if you think to the future do you can is there a do you have a sense of what a kind of positive vision of success would look like if we're really able to bring these agendas together and Do you think that sense of success might be shared or is it sort of still rather fragmented now? I think there's an enormous opportunity to share best practice, you know both within You know the European Union, but also outside the European Union. I mean come with two or three examples that that I think can Motivate other countries to drive this agenda one of them What's happening in France with the extended producer responsibility system where you are obliged as a manufacturer to pay into this third-party Organization and then you get rebate Depending on how much volume you're recycling so immediately there is a motivation to get these Take-back systems to work because there's there's an incentive to do economic incentive to do that Another example of something that can drive this is is having thresholds around recycled content You can keep them low Initially and then gradually increase them, but again that can drive Companies like ourselves to look at okay. What can we do in with our production processes? To to get that recycled content higher because at the end of the day that will lead to more sales for for for our products So that's another example, and then a third example Which is what we're seeing in the Nordics. I think it's in Norway I'm not sure whether it's in Sweden, but maybe you'll you'll touch on that head on later is driving zero waste construction sites And that's you know particularly coming from the from the public sector But immediately once Those requirements are set Then companies like ours will make it happen You know will make it happen if if if that is the the carrot will make it happen So I think there are many good examples that that is going on in different geographies that can also be Utilized elsewhere One last brief question for you So you just noticed you're both from the Construction sector, but like the the task force actually includes companies from technology from consumer goods from also from finance Do you do you see this as a conversation that is Sectorally divided or do you think there's a common agenda that cuts across multiple sectors? I think there's a common agenda. You know, I talk with many other Companies with other sectors who have been on this journey within circularity. I mean look at carpets There's there's many Carpet companies that are able to to get up to a hundred percent recycle content So of course there are different challenges and different opportunities in different sectors, but there's definitely horizontal generic Opportunities and best practices that we can share. So I think there's good opportunities there Brilliant. Thank you. I'll let you get off to your next appointment and thank you for both my business speakers Actually, I think we're gonna go to Helen next if that's okay, so I mean, I would have started with you But I think hopefully it's been useful for you to hear not just me talking about the work that we've been doing but also some business Perspectives so obviously you're within the Ministry of Environment in Sweden But obviously, you know a key European government but also shortly to take on the presidency of the European Union So just just great to hear your perspective from a government point of view in terms of how you see this agenda going forward Thank you so much for inviting me and it was really useful to hear business, but perspective certainly If I could just start by Saying that there are so many reasons to go for a more circular economy and not just the climate And the global emissions of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases But more than 90 percent of the world's world's water scarcity and biodiversity loss Is due to our moving around materials in the way we do and Also, there obviously it holds a lot of opportunities for business to Use resources more efficiently not only energy but material resources too and as you pointed out also material security in the Geopolitical Changes we need to look at where where we source our materials and how dependent we are from from different sources So and there has been a lot of points from from Business side here Which I would like to touch upon and a lot of the things you talked about have been implemented in Sweden like ban and tax on landfill extended producer responsibility and creating these incentives for business to innovate and and to Improve products and work across value chains So but one thing that we are not talking that much about is The talks getting rid of harmful substances in products if we are going to have a Credibility in the circular economy. We need to remove the most harmful substances and get them out of the Material loops Otherwise we're in indeed trouble. So that is an important Thing that we need to put more emphasis in and it's an interesting Thing also with the blending in recycled materials and and gradually increase Requirements or or demand to to blend in recycled materials We have done that in Sweden for for fuels for example renewable fuels And that has really created Innovation in the fuel producers so they are now going for total renewable fossil-free production systems so There are a lot of things but one one one further thing is To collaborate between the private and public sector and to have that constant dialogue On what is working and what is needed from from businesses and get the feedback to governments on how to tweak regulations and economic incentives to make it And Vibrant to to go in this direction Brilliant. Thank you. Helen. Maybe if I could also take this opportunity to bring Chiara's voice into the room And then maybe I'll put a couple of questions to you before we we finish so Chiara Great to have you as a respondent here a director of can Europe climate action Network Europe So on behalf of civil society generally in terms of what you think about this agenda Thank you, and I always like being invited by by you to this event because I'm learning so many things By all these examples, so I think the the first point. I want maybe I mean listening to what what The other panelist said like I think the first thing I missed maybe from civil society perspective in the In the conversation is that we do need the circular economy and a circularity Also, because for me it's automatically linked to the science again Like if we wanted to limit global warming to 1.5 We don't have other way that a circular economy model for the for the future actually for the present if it will be possible and Then I think for me is also important to Twilight I heard a little bit here and there but I think to be clear that to me at least and to my network a circular economy also in Not only include energy efficiency and the efficient use of resources But also some kind of reduction, and I think this is very important to name. I know that can be scary Naming reduction, but especially when it comes to reduction on materials I think we do have in this space being a global space and we do know how much our Economy so far is based on on products and materials that are coming from other parts of the world I think the the reduction world this should be part of the picture if we like or not And then maybe I mean because of our work we work in Brussels looking at the ULU Initiatives and all of that. I just wanted to flag that there are these Coming six months or one year with the Swedish presidency I think there are key opportunities to push together this agenda, and I think we do have the Responsibility to do that together city society can do that alone, and I think you can also not do that alone as business This I think we do need to push to have a very strong and robust Legislative framework that will not allow loopholes on the way forward I think that's been one of the sort of themes of the last few days in terms of things like the launch of the high-level expert group So that you know action needs to be real We need to ground it in the right kind of rule So it's been a really important part of the conversation Maybe if I come back to you Helen you know We talked a little bit about sort of various things that would drive the The agenda going forward. I want to pick out one specific because it just seemed it was of interest like as you think about What can drive change through through splice of supply chains? What do you think of the role in terms of product standards as a key tool in EU policy making? Yeah, absolutely it's absolutely key and Also the development of eco-designed directive in Europe now on the proposals that We're really looking forward as the EU presidency to to drive that act through through the council, but one thing also I wanted to mention is The colleague from India raised the issue of lifestyles and Sort of the consumer perspective here when it comes to both the dematerializing and using materials in in another way and products and Maybe it's a big step to totally change lifestyle for a single person, but when building new areas In urbanization and and then you can build in The prerequisite for going for more sharing economies, etc And I think we need to see much more of that as examples and inspiration to go in that direction So building areas which is actually meant for you know You have the car pooling or you have joint products to to use and share and you have the companies For example Volvo in Sweden now is going totally for not selling the cars, but to leasing and more upgrading etc and having use subscribe To transportation and not you don't buy the Volvo car So that could be done in Maybe easier in new Housing areas and and as testing grounds and inspiration I think that's a really important suggestion and it kind of plays into this kind of hope I mean, I love the the phrase used in dematerialization I think you know thinking about Chiara's point. We've got material efficiency. We've got kind of questions around You know the demand choices Do you see that as an important that that kind of focus in terms of You know thinking about which materials we use and whether there are places We don't need to have the same scale of material consumption. Do you see that as a valuable part of the strategy? Absolutely, yeah Good nice simple answer. That's what we like to hear I mean, maybe if I can also just kind of bring you back in Vicente for a quick I feel like from our civil society and government voices. We've heard a lot about collaboration From a business perspective, do you see the value of collaboration in terms of driving this agenda forward? And what do you think are some of the most important partners to collaborate with? Yes, I think collaboration is very important because Most of the time the waste follows is part of a value chain and If you fix certain parts of the value chain, then there's less waste or the waste will go Will flow otherwise so Collaboration along the value chain I think is that is the most important that you identify what are the key elements in that value chain that you have and how Waste can be minimized if you are a generator of waste and how waste can be used in a productive way as an alternative raw material or as an alternative fuel so so collaboration along the value chain, I think is the The one of the most valuable ones because it's the one that is going to really make a difference in solving a problem or Radically changing it. No, if you only partner with your equals you you might be Having a little bit of scale, but maybe you are having the same Volume of waste anyway, no and you just wanted to reflect on some of the the comments that you make I see that the Think we have become better at handling waste But I the promise of having products that are especially designed For thinking of their end of life and all that I think we are still far away And that would be in my opinion the next generation of how you can really Go after the whole circularity. No the echo design that you mentioned is That that's the part that I think we are still missing. We have become better at handling waste When we're obviously in the places where you have all these regulations in place But but the next step is how do we generate much less waste and how the end of and how we design the product So at the end of life is automatically Circular and you don't have to figure out what we did. So I think that's How I'm up here If I could comment on that and I mean We see a lot of innovation and technology technology development in this area and For example Looking at plastics. It's typically, you know that the product loses value and you get less and less quality of the Recycled streams along the way so but with new technology to sort of With the chemical recycling and you Break down the polymers and put them together again you you maintain high quality products To be able to recycle otherwise you you get a downward spiral with with lesser and lesser quality and that that was my point with Hazzardous substances in products. It's will become more and more more difficult to to recycle if you include that so We need to put a lot of resources into innovation and to maintain quality of the materials Thank you Ladies and gentlemen with we've we've kind of overrun and I think possibly run out run our time out Although we started a little bit late, but I mean a fascinating conversation And I think just kind of drawing that last round together I just kind of note that this conversation has elements of the design thinking material, you know technological innovation but also questions about lifestyles and consumption patterns and we need to if we're going to really unlock the potential of this conversation We'll need to incorporate all of those at different elements as we move forward But there are I think you know if I kind of go back to where we where where this conversation started There's a huge opportunity There's a huge win in this place in terms of being able to deliver kind of materials and products that have a Far lower environmental footprint that are being able to use in a much more sustainable way But also potentially offer new value propositions new Lifestyle choices that people could be could be really valuable. So I've really appreciated our Panelists, so thank you join me in thanking them and thank you very much for sticking with us. Thank you And if anybody wants to see on your report if you the QR code is a great way to get it, but thank you very much