Circular Cities Declaration

At the end of 2020, we signed the Europe-wide circular economy commitment Circular Cities Declaration, the ten goals of which promote the implementation of the city’s circular economy.

The circular economy commitment supports our goal of becoming carbon-neutral by 2030 and achieving the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals as a pioneer city. The circular economy is an effective means to achieve the carbon neutrality objective by reducing the use of virgin raw materials and emissions from the production of materials. The circular economy is of great importance for the sustainable use of natural resources and the maintenance and enhancement of biodiversity. 

Circular Cities Declaration consists of ten circular goals:

1. Establishing clear circular economy goals and strategies to provide a common direction for the local circular transition
2. Raising awareness of circular practices across our administration and amongst local citizens and businesses
3. Directly engaging local stakeholders from civil society, the private sector and the research community in the development of circular economy plans and initiatives, striving to make the transition inclusive and helping to nurture circular business models such as the sharing and the repairing economy
4. Embedding circularity principles in urban planning, infrastructure and asset management procedures
5. Leveraging public procurement to promote the market for circular products and services
6. Applying economic incentives and seeking opportunities to use fiscal measures designed to encourage circular economic and social behaviour
7. Fostering an enabling local regulatory framework which allows and encourage secondary raw material markets, repair, reuse and sharing schemes
8. Collaborating with national governments and European institutions to establish an appropriate policy and regulatory framework for the circular transition
9. Monitoring the progress made and impacts of our circular economy activities
10. Reporting to ICLEI on progress in achieving the above commitments

More information on the Circular Cities Declaration: https://circularcitiesdeclaration.eu/about/about-the-declaration(external link, opens in a new window)

First report of the yearly progress in Espoo was made in the end of the year 2021. You are welcome to read the reports below.