Portugal Agora debates the circular economy
The Portugal Agora platform is debating the circular economy with the aim of diagnosing and presenting concrete strategies and proposals to promote innovative models that encourage sustainable consumption, the reuse of resources and circular production processes that are more symbiotic with the environment.
Lisbon, November 15, 2018 - A Portugal Now platform, in partnership with Amb3E, is organizing the “Circular Economy to accelerate Portugal” Conference. The initiative, which takes place on November 22 at the Vila Galé Ópera Hotel in Lisbon, aims to present innovative models to encourage sustainable consumption, the reuse of resources and circular production processes with greater symbiosis with the environment.
The circular economy is based on an integrated process of reuse, restoration and renewal and is seen as a key element in promoting the decoupling of economic growth from increased resource consumption. It promotes a dynamic development model that requires technical and economic compatibility (capacity and productive activity) but also a social and institutional framework (incentives and values).
“At a time when many clusters of the national economy are reinventing themselves, leveraged by technology and digital transformation, we intend to embrace the open challenges and opportunities created with a discussion, action and execution that allow the country to develop.”, says Carlos Sezões, Coordinator of Portugal Agora.
He adds that “Innovative economic models based on the reduction, reuse, recovery and recycling of materials and energy, such as the circular economy concept, are strategic for Portugal's economic acceleration while improving the environment and long-term sustainability.”.
According to the platform's coordinator, this is a project with a strategic dimension, “defining what, how, when and who can do it and what impact we can expect from adopting circular economy models in this area he conference is an opportunity to learn about an increasingly topical and decisive issue”.
The circular economy emerges from the history of measures to encourage a change in the economic paradigm, seeking to preserve the usefulness and value of resources for as long as possible, safeguarding ecosystems and the financial capital of companies and civil society.
The driving force behind this transition is the encouragement and development of business models, collaboration strategies and products and services based on the efficient use of resources. There are many possible benefits, but the main one is to improve the competitiveness of the Portuguese economy, generating initiatives with strong export potential and local impact.
The presentation of strategies and proposals for broad action - ranging from redesigning processes and products to optimizing the use of resources, maximizing their reuse, increasing efficiency and developing new business models - is the responsibility of Amb3E's General Director, Pedro Nazareth. Participating in the panel debate will be Fernando Teigão dos Santos, researcher and specialist in the green economy, Hunter Halder, founder and chairman of ReFood, Inês Costa, advisor to the Minister for the Environment and Energy Transition for the Circular Economy, and Vanessa Romeu, communications director at Lidl.
Participation in the conference, as with all events on the Portugal Agora platform, is free with prior registration via the following address info@portugalagora.com.
Program:
17:30h - Opening: Carlos Sezões (Coordinator - Portugal Agora);
17:40h - Presentation Pedro Nazareth (General Manager - Amb3E)
18:00h - Panel Fernando Teigão dos Santos (Researcher/Expert in Green Economy), Hunter Halder (Founder and President - ReFood); Inês Costa (Advisor to the Minister of the Environment and Energy Transition for the Circular Economy), Vanessa Romeu (Communications Director - Lidl)
19:00h - Debate
19:30h - Closing
About Portugal Agora:
The "Portugal Now" project aims to create a vision, broken down into strategic models for the country, for the coming decades. This will be achieved through a plural space for discussion, over a limited period, with the aim of determining where convergences are possible, which will materialize into priorities in which Portugal can develop. The project takes on strategic dimensions - Attractiveness, Knowledge, Entrepreneurship - for Portugal and wants to link them to implementation and action. Additional information: https://www.portugalagora.com/
About Amb3E:
Amb3E - Associação Portuguesa de Gestão de Resíduos, the managing body of the Electrão Network, is responsible for collecting and sending for treatment and recovery more than 400,000 tons of waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE) and waste batteries and accumulators (WBA) generated in Portugal. In 2018 it became the one-stop-shop for environmental complicance in Portugal, with the management of packaging waste. Additional information: https://www.amb3e.pt/