Enhancing circular actions through Circular Economy and Resource Efficiency Principles (CEREP) and Global Circularity Protocol (GCP)

Enhancing Circular Economy(CE) and Resource Efficiency (RE) through value chains is increasingly important to address the triple global crisis of climate change, biodiversity loss and pollution. Businesses can play a significant role for meeting the ambitious climate and environment goals. In this regard, the Japanese government, together with Keidanren (the Japan Business Federation), launched Japan Partnership for Circular Economy (J4CE) in March 2021, steadily enhancing public-private collaboration.

Co-organized by the Ministry of the Environment Japan (MOEJ), the World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD) and the World Economic Forum (WEF), this seminar invited speakers from the Japanese and US business sectors and international organizations to share their CERE initiatives and discussed how global climate action through CERE can be enhanced in business sector. The Japanese government shared the Circular Economy and Resource Efficiency Principles (CEREP) which was endorsed at the G7 Hiroshima Summit in June 2023, while WBCSD introduced the Global Circularity Protocol (GCP) presented and adopted during the Stockholm +50 in June 2022. During panel discussion, cases of how CERE can be integrated into corporate activities - from corporate strategy, to creation of new circular businesses, and collaboration/cooperation with stakeholders - were introduced by business sector panelists. The challenges and solutions in promoting CERE in private sector and the role of, and expectations to, CEREP/GCP and governments and international organizations were also discussed.

Results
In the discussion, there was a shared recognition that the differences in regulations and standards among countries and the absence of common circularity assessment methods, indicators, and definitions are posing challenges in scaling global circular business. Participants expressed their expectation that the GCP will contribute to overcoming these challenges through the realization of a level-playing field, enhanced transparency of circularity of companies and value chains, and mobilization of capital. In addition, the importance of multi-stakeholder collaboration, international cooperation and the role of governments and international organizations in realizing an open circular economy, policy consistency, and overcoming disparities in country efforts and access to information among stakeholders were discussed.
The complementarity between CEREP which seeks to promote CE in countries and GCP as a corporate accountability tool and the importance of strengthening future collaboration was confirmed.

Summary of Discussion PDF(145KB)

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