The building, construction and real estate industry globally accounts for 40% of emissions, resource use and energy consumption. This gives it a key role in the circular transition and is one of the reasons why the Nordic Circular Hotspot has chosen it as the focus of a pilot Transition Group.

EU taxonomy for sustainable activities—what is it and why do we need it to reach the UN Sustainable Development Goals 2030? One of the key barriers to the circular economy, identified across-industries over and over again, has been the difficulty to clearly define what ‘circularity’ is. In truth, the circular economy is highly-measurable due to its focus on material flows. The taxonomy is a science-based classification system aimed at providing the sought-after definitions for sustainable activities.

One of the main political festivals in the Nordics, Arendalsuka, is taking place next week. Nordic Circular Hotspot will be strongly present at the event, and you will be able to find us both on stage and in the audience at many exciting events throughout the week.

Circular Economy in the Nordics – how can we make it happen? That is what the conference organised by the Nordic Council of Ministers and the Nordic Working Group for Circular Economy, in collaboration with Nordic Innovation and the Nordic Circular Hotspot, set out to solve. The conference provided a platform for stakeholders from all over the Nordics to come together to discuss the opportunities and barriers to the circular transition. Comprehensive participation created an engaging conference that provided a cross-section of the state of circularity in the Nordics today.

The Nordic Circular Hotspot is proud to represent the Nordic circular community at Expo 2020 Dubai, where we will participating in the European Circular Economy Platform’s program on January 18. Expo 2020 Dubai's theme, "Connecting Minds, Creating the Future", is based on the belief that bringing the world together can catalyse an exchange of new perspectives and inspire action to deliver real-life solutions to real-world challenges.

Broadcasted live from the WCEF2021 Nordic Studio in Gamlebyen, Oslo, both hybrid events formed part of the WCEF2021, organised by the Government of Canada and the Finnish Innovation Fund Sitra. The three-day landmark circular economy event of the year attracted a record number of 8,850 delegates from around the globe. On September 15, WCEF2021 was dedicated to accelerator sessions touching upon everything from textiles to trade and from biofuels to mining.

Circular City Week is an open collaborative festival for circular economy related events. For the third time, Circular City Week takes place in New York, and will be back 22-28 March 2021. The events will emphasize how circular economy is transforming urban industries and the city as a whole.

What are the opportunities and obstacles for financing the circular economy today? And what can be learned from financiers, impact investors and asset managers investing in the transition to circularity?

What is needed to accelerate the transition from our broken linear model to a circular economy in every part of the world? And what role do hotspots, initiatives and hubs play as catalysts for circular change?