EIT RawMaterials sessions will showcase the importance of minerals, metals and materials in the context of the sustainable management of resources and the shift to the green economy
The conference European Days for Sustainable Circular Economy will be held between 30 September and 1 October 2019 in Helsinki, Finland with a view to presenting the state of the circular economy and recommendations for promoting a sustainable circular economy based on the latest research data. The conference will also present circular economy innovations and success stories.
The conference is one of the events held during Finland’s Presidency of the Council of the European Union. It will bring together about 750 scientists, policy-makers, business and industry representatives, and representatives for funding agencies, authorities and NGOs. A synthesis drawn up based on the conference presentations will be distributed to Finnish and EU policy-makers in October.
Krista Mikkonen, Minister of the Environment and Climate Change, says the conference serves to promote the EU’s sustainability-based competitiveness.
The circular economy can provide us with solutions to the greatest challenges of our time: climate change and biodiversity loss. At the same time, the transition to the circular economy is an opportunity for European businesses to develop new practices and take the lead. The circular economy is the economic model of the future, replacing the disposable economy.
Krista Mikkonen, Finland’s Minister of the Environment and Climate Change
The Environment Council is set to discuss the EU’s circular economy conclusions on 4 October. The conclusions will set out how the new Commission should promote the circular economy over the next five years.
The EU needs a new circular economy action plan, a circular economy 2.0, which would extend the concept into all significant sectors such as construction, textiles, mobility and food.
Krista Mikkonen, Finland’s Minister of the Environment and Climate Change
The first day of the conference focuses on the transition towards a sustainable circular economy. The topics to be discussed include climate-smart and nutrient-smart food production, new services for sustainable mobility and the opportunities of artificial intelligence. Day two of the conference deals with the knowledge base of a low-carbon, climate-resilient circular economy, sustainable and smart manufacturing, and sustainable innovation.
Business Finland is in charge of the event Manufuture 2019 – Sustainable and Smart Manufacturing on 1 October. The event focuses on manufacturing industry challenges and circular economy opportunities.
Today’s manufacturing systems are traditionally designed to mainly address the manufacturing phase of a product. The transition towards a circular economy asks for the development and availability of de-manufacturing and re-manufacturing plant facilities. How to develop and utilize new business models and value networks.
Jarmo Heinonen, Director at Business Finland
The conference is organised by the Finnish Ministry of the Environment, Business Finland, European Institute of Innovation and Technology (EIT), EIT Digital, EIT RawMaterials and EIT Food.
