World Circular Economy Forum Highlights Role Of Youth, Local Solutions For Sustainable World

HELSINKI (Finland) , (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point news / WAM - 31st May, 2023) The seventh World Circular Economy Forum 2023, being held in the Finnish capital Helsinki, has highlighted the importance of local solutions and greater involvement of youth in promoting circular economy that will help address the triple planetary crises such as climate change, pollution and biodiversity loss.

“The triple planetary crises affect the whole globe, and we often think of the circular economy as a global solution,” pointed out Emma Sairanen, project coordinator for sustainability solutions at the Finnish Innovation Fund Sitra, a co-host of the event.

“However, today we have heard over and over again that the best circular solutions are often local. They use local knowledge and local resources, while respecting local culture and ecology,” she said at the Forum.

The forum promotes the idea of circular economy, an economic system based on the reuse and regeneration of materials or products, especially as a means of continuing production in a sustainable or environmentally friendly way.

This year’s edition of WCEF, being held from 30th May to 2nd June at Helsinki, is discussing how to create a new economy, businesses and jobs, by leveraging circular solutions to solve the planetary crises.
The leading circular economy event has attracted around 2,000 participants from across the globe, with about 6,000 people from 143 countries participating online.

Emirates News Agency (WAM) is covering the Forum as part of a media trip to Helsinki, organised by the Finnish Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Senior journalists of prominent media outlets from nine countries in various parts of the world are part of the media trip.

The WCEF2023 has given enough participation for the youth who advocates the need of transformation from the current linear “take-make-waste” economic system towards a sustainable and regenerative circular economy.
Some of the young leaders at the event came from the Global South and had strong opinions on the impact the exploitative linear economy has on their communities, like mining for indigenous peoples.

“The audience seemed to resonate with how the speakers challenged business and government,” said Hege Louise Guttormsen, higher executive officer at Nordic Innovation, co-host of the event.

“It is important that these young leaders were not simply ‘allowed to speak’ but rather given the space to co-create a session to convey their varied perspectives.

Sairanen of Sitra said, “My message to young people is: be engaged! Your contribution is valuable.”

At the same time, young voices at the Forum are challenging the way we currently understand the circular economy, and demanding that their voice and that of nature should be heard.
“We need to include younger generations to the circular economy discussions as this transition will define their future. That is why we have engaged youth organisations and asked them to actively join the circular economy community at the WCEF2023”, said Svein Berg, Managing Director of the Nordic Innovation.

The Forum is also discussing how the pressing challenge of rapidly scaling up circular solutions can be answered worldwide. For instance, the forum highlights how investing in the circular economy is a way to increase profitability and resilience for companies across value chains.

The WCEF also explores the role and possibilities of the financial sector to tackle challenges and drive coherent action towards de-risking investment in circular initiatives globally.

Another important topic of the forum are circular solutions to halt the loss of biodiversity, where the food and agriculture sector can make the greatest contribution. Another critical issue being discussed is decarbonisation. As the demand for metals and materials grows exponentially, circular solutions are needed more than ever.

Jyrki Katainen, President of the Finnish Innovation Fund Sitra, said, “Setting up new conservation areas is of course necessary, but not enough. Even if we were to reach the global target to protect 30 percent of our land and water areas, more significant is what happens in the other 70 percentr. From this point of view, it is necessary to integrate economy and market mechanisms to bring solutions.”