Location

Global and national (Austria as the first country)

Ambition behind the Circularity Gap Reporting Initiative 

The Circularity Gap Report provides a metric that measures the circular state of the world economy and high-level insights into the global metabolism. It also identifies key levers for transitioning to circularity at a global level by mid-21st century.

Partners

Circle Economy

DSM

UNCTAD

City of Amsterdam

WWF

Philips

Location

Global

Leading Partners

PACE and Circle Economy

Ambition 

Convening key stakeholders to improve knowledge, alignment, and implementation of CE indicators advancing transparency and accountability while measuring the progress and impacts of a circular economy transition.   

Context  

Our world is only 8.6% circular. Material use and carbon emissions continue on an upward trend. In terms of sustainability and circularity, the global engine of change is stuck in reverse; we are still heading in the wrong direction. Measuring progress and the current state of play is key when accelerating the circular economy. 

The Circular Economy Indicators Coalition (CEIC), hosted by PACE and Circle Economy seeks to unify the diverse field of circular metrics as the relatively scattered state of circular indicator development may not optimally serve the external perception and delivery of evidence to those considering whether and how to embrace the circular economy. The CEIC facilitates a space to improve knowledge, alignment, and implementation of indicators and their frameworks, methodologies, and data, through cross-sector collaboration.  

The CEIC consists of three mechanisms:

1. Indicator’s repository – CE practitioners can leverage the CEIC to access a variety of curated knowledge and other information sources on CE indicators. This will facilitate greater equality in access to information, including for parties that can dedicate less human and financial resources to the topics. This in turn will support those parties in building on and connecting to the efforst already put in by others, create opportunities for synergies, and help prevent duplication;
2. Exchange platform – CE practitioners can turn to the CEIC to convene and exchange with other practitioners across initiatives, sectors, and countries. This can support general engagement, infusion of learnings and insights, as well as consensus ubuidling.
3. Output-oriented coalition building – CE practitioners can turn to the CEIC to jointly further the development of methodologies, indicators, and/or their data for topics for which there is a clear, felt need and where such efforts are not yet or insufficiently served by other actors.

In October 2020, the Circular Metrics for Business report was released and can be used as a tool to navigate the complex landscape of circularity metrics, by providing a step-by-step guide on which metric to choose. Businesses can apply metrics to create awareness of the opportunities the circular economy brings to innovate their products among their shareholders, customers, suppliers and employees. 

In April 2021, the CEIC launched the Circular Indicators for Governments report. The report provides an in-depth analysis of public sector indicators and provides opportunities for where action can be taken. Taken together, the reports provide the first clear picture of the current state of play on how businesses and governments are approaching metrics for the circular economy. 

Stakeholders include

PACE (Secretariat) 

World Resources Institute 

Circle Economy 

Ministry of Infrastructure and Water Management of the Netherlands 

Goldschmeding Foundation

EMF 

OECD 

WBCSD 

European Commission 

European Environment Agency 

Contact

lotte.holvast@pacecircular.org