Workshop | The role of cities and regions in supporting industrial-urban symbiosis: learning from on the-ground experiences
2025-05-15 10:00 - 13:30 (Europe/Berlin) | Online
WHEN: 15 May 2025, 10:00 – 13:30 CET
WHERE: Online (Zoom) | REGISTER HERE

The Hubs4Circularity Community of Practice invites you to an online knowledge exchange (sensemaking) workshop to reflect on the role of local and regional public authorities for supporting industrial-urban symbiosis uptake.
Local and regional public authorities can significantly encourage and support local industrial-urban symbiosis uptake. Acknowledged as ‘enablers’, they have various tools and instruments at their disposal. However, there is still a lack of clarity on how these can be best employed and how the role of public authorities can be leveraged effectively.
This “sensemaking” workshop provides an interactive space where participants can discuss the variety of roles and instruments cities and regions can assume, while sharing their challenges, experiences, learnings and insights in enhancing local industrial symbiosis activities.
The basis for discussion will be concrete case studies by public authorities and local businesses, presented at the start of the workshop.
Sensemaking is a flagship Climate KIC practice, used as part of Climate KIC’s systems innovation methodology.
CLICK HERE TO REGISTER

Agenda (all times CET)
10:00 – 10:15 | Welcome remarks and introduction to the Hubs4Circularity Community of Practice
10:15 – 10:25 | Check-in and participant introduction
10:25 – 10:35 | Introduction to workshop methodology
10:35 – 11:50 | Storytelling session
Diverse experiences on supporting industrial-urban symbiosis uptake will be shared by public authorities and business:

John Wante, Policy Advisor for Circular Economy, OVAM (Belgium)
Christina Zoric Persson, Community Strategist, City of Helsingborg Executive Office (Sweden)
Palle Skyum, Senior Consultant in R&D, Port of Aalborg (Denmark)
Estelle Giacomi, COO and Circular Economy Facilitator, RedEco EC (Spain)

11:50 – 12:00 | Break
12:00 – 12:40 | Breakout sessions
Reflections from listening to the stories, zoom out to identify clusters, themes and similarities related to the role of public authorities in supporting industrial-urban symbiosis. Participants will be able to reflect and learn with and from each other.
12:40 – 13:20 | Synthesis and next steps
Based on the information exchanged, participants will be able to conclude on the role(s) public authorities can play to successfully support industrial-urban symbiosis uptake.
13:20 – 13:30 | Check-out and conclusions

Symposium on Innovation in the Circularity of Plastic Materials
2025-05-20
Innovation in the circularity of plastic materials is essential due to the growing environmental challenges posed by plastic waste. Traditional linear production models, where plastics are produced, used, and discarded, contribute significantly to pollution, resource depletion, and climate change. The concept of circularity aims to reduce waste, keep materials in use longer, and minimize resource extraction, all while supporting sustainability.
Current plastic recycling rates are low, with many plastics either being downcycled into lower-value products or not recycled at all. Innovations like chemical recycling, which breaks down plastics into their basic monomers for reuse in high-quality applications, or more efficient mechanical recycling methods, can drastically improve the quality and efficiency of recycling processes. In this context, innovation can play a critical role.
Against this background, we are calling for expressions of interest to participate in the Symposium on Innovation in the Circularity of Plastic Materials to be held on 20th May 2025, in Kaunas, Lithuania. The aim of the Symposium is to offer opportunities to share your ideas, to discuss theoretical and practical issues and to connect the leaders in the fields of plastic engineering, science and technology. The symposium aims to bring together experts, researchers, industry leaders, and policymakers to discuss and showcase advancements in the recycling, reuse, and sustainable production of plastic materials. Apart from presentations, displays and demonstrations by companies will be part of the event.
The Symposium is organized in cooperation with the Interreg Baltic Sea Region Programme project BALTIPLAST with the support of the Baltic University Programme. The project aims to reduce the generation of single-use plastic products and plastic packaging waste as well as to provide solutions for the use of plastic waste in the context of a circular economy. The main goal of the project is to identify, test and implement concrete solutions for the reduction and management of plastic waste in the countries of the Baltic Sea region. Members of the Baltic University Programme are welcome to attend it. There are no fees, but delegates need to cover their own travel and accommodation.
Please register and submit your proposal (abstract) first. You can access the template to be used here: Symposium on Innovation in the Circularity of Plastic Materials_abstract_template . The abstract (proposal) will be added to the submission panel in your Symposium account. If your proposal is accepted for presentation, then you may upload your full paper. The selected papers will be published in the book Innovation in the Circularity of Plastic Materials to be published by Springer Nature.

Festival of Circular Economy
2025-05-20 - 2025-05-22
The world’s biggest challenges demand the world’s biggest solutions.
Join changemakers and thought leaders from around the globe for three dynamic days of virtual live-streams and in-person connections. Dive into practical insights and inspiring use cases from the built environment and textiles sectors—two of the most resource-intensive industries. Gain strategies from sector trailblazers, explore innovative business models, and connect with circularity champions, policymakers, and innovators. Whether you’re here to network, learn, or lead, this festival is your
gateway to shaping a sustainable future.

Circular Economy Economic Delegation to Switzerland
2025-06-02 - 2025-06-04
The Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Štajerska, SRIP Circular Economy, in cooperation with the Public Agency SPIRIT Slovenia, the Ministry of Economy, Tourism and Sport and the Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs, is organising an economic delegation to Zurich from 2 to 4 June 2025.

Programme with additional information is available here. Among other things, the Circular Basel will be presented. Deadline for application is 10 April.

The operation is part-financed by the European Union from the European Regional Development Fund. The operation is implemented within the Priority Investment “Innovative Knowledge Society” and the Specific Objective RSO1.1 “Development and improvement of research and innovation capacity and introduction of advanced technologies” and SPIRIT Slovenia, Public Agency.

EU Green Week 2025
2025-06-03 - 2025-06-05 | Brussels
This year, the EU Green Week is all about the circular economy.
With its potential to drive sustainable competitiveness, reduce waste, and promote innovation, circular economy offers a compelling solution to some of the EU’s most pressing challenges.
Save the date: 3-5 June 2025, in Brussels
The EU Green Week 2025 conference will take place in Brussels on 3-5 June to get everyone talking about how circularity can become a new economic reality. The event will feature among others:

Policy discussions (3-4 June): hear from expert speakers on how a circular use of resources can make the EU more competitive, resilient, and sustainable.
Stakeholder event (5 June): meet with industry leaders, communities and other stakeholders to share ideas and inspire action, in partnership with the European Circular Economy Stakeholder Platform and the European Circular Cities and Regions Initiative.

Registrations to the EU Green Week conference will open in April on this website.
EU Green Week partner events
Throughout June, partner events will complement the annual conference by taking the conversation on circularity to local and regional levels, and engaging businesses and communities across Europe and beyond.
The application period for EU Green Week partner events will open between 3-21 March 2025.

European Sustainable Energy Week
2025-06-10 - 2025-06-12
The European Sustainable Energy Week (EUSEW) Policy Conference is Europe’s biggest event dedicated to renewables and efficient energy use. The 19th edition of the Policy Conference will take place in a hybrid format, both in Brussels and online on 10-12 June 2025, gathering policymakers, innovators and energy stakeholders to discuss innovations and the future of sustainable energy in Europe.

10th GLOBAL PROCUREMENT CONFERENCE
2025-07-03 - 2025-07-04 | Villa Mondragone, Rome, Italy
University of Rome Tor Vergata, with the School of Economics, launched the 10th Global Procurement Conference that this year, will take place live on July 3rd and 4th in our beautiful location in Rome, Villa Mondragone, a patrician villa in the suggestive territory of the Alban Hills in the area called, from its many castles and villas, Castelli Romani (about 20 km southeast of Rome).
The conference will take place in presence. There are no online sessions.
The goal of the Global Procurement Conference is to raise awareness for the planetary implications of joint decisions regarding what is purchased, how and for whom in the public domain.
The University of Rome Tor Vergata, has the pleasure of organizing yearly an event where experts from International Financial Institutions and regulatory bodies, policy-makers, economists, engineers, lawyers, procurers gather for a much-needed debate concerning issues related to innovation, competitiveness, sustainability and regulation in public procurement worldwide.
The conference will be organized as follows: 3 different sessions each one with two themes to be presented and discussed by 4 speakers.
A History of Professional Upgrading in Procurement at Tor Vergata
Tor Vergata University of Rome of Rome is a leading centre of excellence of procurement training, consulting and research. The Master in Procurement Management broke new grounds seventeen years ago by setting new interdisciplinary standards for procurement knowledge and by uniting the fields of law, economics, and engineering to the curriculum of a knowledgeable procurer. In addition, by creating a unique programme for private, public civilian and military personnel, we introduced the revolutionary concept of the need for a joint debate that would foster greater innovation, responsibility, and sustainability across the Italian economy.
Following that successful initiative, a new Master in Public Procurement Management, IMPPM, was created in 2012 with the decisive and generous support of the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development along with the Italian government. More than 300 public procurers from all over the world have come to Rome for 4 months to follow the interdisciplinary courses taught by some of the most important experts in procurement, including IFI specialists, lawyers, economists, and technical experts.

Circular Economy Hotspot Slovenia 2025
2025-09-10 - 2025-09-12
In 2025, Slovenia will host a conference in a series of circular hotspot conferences, which are intended to bring together planners and implementers of circular economy measures.
This year marks 10 years since the first Circular Economy Conference in Slovenia. It also marks 10 years since the first EU Circular Economy Action Plan. It was created in recognition of the fact that the material aspect is an important lever for achieving climate, environmental and biodiversity goals. Reducing the consumption of primary resources, designing products from secondary resources, introducing circular business models and circular consumption are only some from the variety of circular economy measures with which we can effectively respond to the challenges of excessive resource consumption.
Five years ago, the EU adopted a new Circular Economy Action Plan with a strong message: “For a cleaner and more competitive Europe”. Its purpose is to encourage the production of sustainable products that can be used for a long time and to enable citizens to fully participate in the circular economy and the positive changes it brings.
But success in this area will require a lot of effort, as the consumption of material resources already exceeds the capacity of our planet. Estimates show that by 2050, human consumption will have grown to the point where it would require three planet Earths.
Implementing circular principles is an economically and socially demanding task that requires a systemic approach, as the levers for action require coordination in all areas of our activities and lives.
Hence this conference aims at contributing to greater awareness and better progress of the circular economy. We primarily want to focus on questions: where are we, what can we do and how can we do it?
The conference will look at circular economy through the lens of competitiveness and resilience of the EU and Slovenia and the lens of supply and demand system.
Conference organization
Ministry of the Environment, Climate and Energy, in cooperation with the Strategic Research and Innovation Partnership Circular Economy and Circular Change, successfully applied to hold a conference on the circular economy as an annual event in the series of conferences of the circular economy hotspots.
The conference is organized by the Ministry of the Environment, Climate and Energy and the Ministry of the Economy, Tourism and Sport and in cooperation with the Slovenian Centre for Circular Economy.
Members of programming committee are: Uroš Vajgl, State secretary, Ministry of the Environment, Climate and Energy, head; dr. Janez Potočnik, co-chair, UN International Resource Panel; Nina Meglič, ReCatalyst; Anna Brussa, Climate KIC; Jaka Kranjc, Ecologists Without Borders Association; Marija Čebular Zajec, Ministry of the Economy, Tourism and Sport; Mireia Cannellas Grifoll, Ministry of Territory, Housing and Ecological Transition, Catalonia.
The plenary part of the conference will be held in Slovenian and English. Interpretation will be provided from English into Slovenian and vice versa. Parallel sessions will be held in English.
Who should attend?
The conference is intended for companies from various industries, universities and faculties, students, research institutions, ministries, public utilities participating in waste management schemes, municipalities, regional development agencies, non-governmental organizations and the media, as operating according to the principles of the circular economy concerns companies, research, professional and innovative institutions, ministries, local communities and individuals
How will the conference achieve its purpose?
The conference will bring together circular economy policymakers at the EU level and in Slovenia, designers of support systems and implementers of circular practices in the field.
Good business practices and the forefront of circular innovation will be presented, the discussion will also focus on the role of decision-makers who design support systems and programs to overcome obstacles to the circular economy. We will talk about how circular economy can contribute to social resilience and what role local communities, businesses and young people play in this. We will also discuss tools for strengthening circular supply and demand.
Conference participants will also be able to learn about and experience circular economy practices on site.
There will be many opportunities for networking, exchanging opinions and experiences among conference participants, with panellists and speakers.

Launch of the Nordic Ecosystem for Circular Construction
2026-01-27 14:30 - 16:00
27 January 2026 | Online Event
On Tuesday, 27 January 2026, the Nordic Ecosystem for Circular Construction will be officially launched during a dedicated digital session bringing together policymakers, practitioners and innovators from across the Nordic region and beyond.
Hosted by Nordic Circular Hotspot and Natural State, the event marks a significant milestone following the Circular Build Forum in Denmark, one of the leading platforms for circular construction in the Nordics. For the first time, the organisers have introduced a dedicated Nordic Track, offering a full day of sessions focused on accelerating circularity in the built environment.
The 90-minute online programme will provide participants with:

A wrap-up of the Circular Build Forum, including key highlights and practical takeaways

An overview of the Nordic Circular Construction project and its strategic objectives

The official launch of the Nordic Ecosystem for Circular Construction, aimed at fostering collaboration, knowledge exchange and systemic change across the sector

The initiative seeks to strengthen cooperation across the value chain, support innovation, and scale circular solutions in construction—objectives that strongly resonate with CircularPSP’s work on enabling circular economy practices through innovative public procurement and digital public service platforms.
The session is free of charge and will take place online from 14:30 to 16:00 CET. A recording will be made available following the event.
📅 Date: Tuesday, 27 January 2026⏰ Time: 14:30–16:00 CET📍 Format: Online
Further information and registration details are available via the European Circular Economy Stakeholder Platform: https://nordiccircularhotspot.org/events/programme-launch-nordic-community-for-circular-construction

World Sustainable Energy Days 2026
2026-02-24 - 2026-02-27
What are the World Sustainable Energy Days (WSED)?

Energy transition = energy independence
Geopolitical instabilities, high energy prices and growing global competition make one thing clear: Europe must urgently increase its energy independence. Energy efciency and renewable energy are the key assets in this transformation: They decrease energy imports, reduce energy prices and make Europe more resilient.
The World Sustainable Energy Days (WSED) present policies, technologies and business models which increase competitiveness and make energy more affordable. The event is a leading annual conference on the energy transition and climate neutrality with over 650 participants from more than 60 countries.

When does it take place?
24 – 27 February 2026

How to join?
Mark your calender, register today and join us in Wels at the World Sustainable Energy Days!

Contact
Conference office
OÖ Energiesparverband
Landstrasse 45, 4020 Linz, Austria
Tel. +43/732/7720-14386
office(at)esv.or.at

Conference venue
Stadthalle Wels, Pollheimerstrasse 1, 4600 Wels, Austria

Who attends the event?
Over 650 experts from more than 60 countries each year!

business actors engaged in the energy transition: energy companies, technology and equipment companies, service providers, planners, developers, financing community etc.
the energy research community
public sector representatives (e.g. EU institutions, national, regional and local governments, energy agencies)

Where does it happen?
In Wels/Austria.
Upper Austria, one of Austria’s nine regions, is a leader in the clean energy transition, making the region an ideal location for this conference. Through significant increases in energy efficiency and renewable energy, greenhouse gas emissions from buildings were reduced by 42 %. Over 72 % of all space heating and 33 % of the primary energy in Upper Austria already come from renewables. Over 4.7 billion Euro are invested annually in the energy transition.

The conference organiser: OÖ Energiesparverband
The OÖ Energiesparverband (ESV) is the energy agency of Upper Austria. The agency, which was established by the regional government, drives the energy transition by promoting energy efficiency, renewables and e-mobility. It provides comprehensive services to households, businesses of all sizes and municipalities. It also supports energy technology companies in the context of the Cleantech-Cluster.

IFAT Munich 2026
2026-05-04 - 2026-05-07
Why a visit to IFAT Munich 2026 is worthwhile
IFAT Munich is the most important industry meeting point and the heart of the largest international platform for environmental technologies.
In May 2026, over 3,000 exhibitors from more than 60 countries will present their strategies and innovations. Discover pioneering solutions for water, recycling, and circularity.
Reasons for the No. 1 environmental technology trade fair
Reasons for the waste management and recycling sector
Reasons for the water management sector
Your Challenges—our solutions
Digitalization, recycling, drinking water supply, climate resilience, municipal technology – these and other industry topics will be the focus of IFAT Munich 2026. What challenges need to be overcome? What opportunities will be made possible? We would like to discuss these and other questions with you on site.

World Procurement Congress 2026
2026-05-19 - 2026-05-21
One Community. One Vision. One Future.

As the flagship gathering of procurement leaders and the world’s most influential meeting of CPOs, WPC 26 is where the function’s next chapter takes shape. In a world defined by rapid innovation and evolving global pressures, Chief Procurement Officers stand at the crossroads of human ingenuity and digital transformation. WPC 26 is where this new era of procurement takes shape — through ideas, collaboration and bold leadership in action.
Over three high-impact days, global leaders will convene in London to explore how procurement can unlock new sources of value, resilience, and innovation. The experience begins with two exclusive Day 0 forums — the AI Forum and Resilience Forum — before two days of congress sessions and concludes with the prestigious World Procurement Awards celebrating excellence across the function. Explore six essential themes: CPO Vision, People & Performance, Digitalisation, Resilience, Sustainability, and Partnerships & Innovation.

Resilience & AI in Focus

Ahead of the Congress, two exclusive Forums bring senior procurement leaders together for deep-dive collaboration. The AI Forum explores how procurement is moving from experimentation to integration by building trusted data, intelligent systems and human-AI partnerships that accelerate impact. The Resilience Forum supports leaders to anticipate disruption, build stronger supplier networks, and embed agility through technology, ESG, and culture.

SUM SYMPOSIUM IS BACK!
2026-05-20 - 2026-05-22
After the outstanding success of the 2025 edition, we are pleased to announce SUM 2026 – 9th Multidisciplinary Symposium on Circular Economy and Urban Mining, which will take place from 20 to 22 May 2026 in the stunning island of Procida, Italy – a gem in the Bay of Naples and Italy’s Capital of Culture in 2022.
Organized once again in this unique and inspiring setting, SUM 2026 will bring together leading international experts, researchers, practitioners, and policymakers — representing diverse disciplinary backgrounds — to explore the latest advancements and key challenges in circular economy, sustainable resource management, and urban mining.
The previous edition, held in Procida in 2025, was a great success, attracting participants from 26 countries and a wide variety of disciplines. Building on this momentum, SUM has established itself as a truly multidisciplinary annual event, recognizing the increasing complexity of circular economy issues and the urgent need for integrated, cross-sectoral solutions.
SUM2026 is scientifically organised by IRACE – International Research Association on Circular Economy and benefits from the scientific contribution of a Multidisciplinary Executive Committee composed of scientists from several prestigious universities worldwide.
The Symposium fosters open dialogue and collaboration among experts from fields such as Engineering, Economics, Law, Environmental Sciences, Medicine, Psychology, Sociology, and many others — promoting a science-based approach that connects research, policy, and practice.

International Conference on Circular Economy and Green Growth (ICCEGG)
2026-06-22 - 2026-06-23
The International Research Conference Aims and Objectives

The International Research Conference is a federated organization dedicated to bringing together a significant number of diverse scholarly events for presentation within the conference program. Events will run over a span of time during the conference depending on the number and length of the presentations. With its high quality, it provides an exceptional value for students, academics and industry researchers.
International Conference on Circular Economy and Green Growth aims to bring together leading academic scientists, researchers and research scholars to exchange and share their experiences and research results on all aspects of Circular Economy and Green Growth. It also provides a premier interdisciplinary platform for researchers, practitioners and educators to present and discuss the most recent innovations, trends, and concerns as well as practical challenges encountered and solutions adopted in the fields of Circular Economy and Green Growth.

Call for Contributions
Prospective authors are kindly encouraged to contribute to and help shape the conference through submissions of their research abstracts, papers and e-posters. Also, high quality research contributions describing original and unpublished results of conceptual, constructive, empirical, experimental, or theoretical work in all areas of Circular Economy and Green Growth are cordially invited for presentation at the conference. The conference solicits contributions of abstracts, papers and e-posters that address themes and topics of the conference, including figures, tables and references of novel research materials.
Guidelines for Authors
Please ensure your submission meets the conference’s strict guidelines for accepting scholarly papers. Downloadable versions of the check list for Full-Text Papers and Abstract Papers.
Please refer to the Paper Submission Guideline, Abstract Submission Guideline and Author Information before submitting your paper.
Conference Proceedings
All submitted conference papers will be blind peer reviewed by three competent reviewers. The peer-reviewed conference proceedings are indexed in the Open Science Index, Google Scholar, Semantic Scholar, Zenedo, BASE, WorldCAT, Sherpa/RoMEO, and other index databases. Impact Factor Indicators.
Special Journal Issues
20. International Conference on Circular Economy and Green Growth has teamed up with the Special Journal Issue on Circular Economy and Green Growth. A number of selected high-impact full text papers will also be considered for the special journal issues. All submitted papers will have the opportunity to be considered for this Special Journal Issue. The paper selection will be carried out during the peer review process as well as at the conference presentation stage. Submitted papers must not be under consideration by any other journal or publication. The final decision for paper selection will be made based on peer review reports by the Guest Editors and the Editor-in-Chief jointly. Selected full-text papers will be published online free of charge.
Conference Sponsor and Exhibitor Opportunities
The Conference offers the opportunity to become a conference sponsor or exhibitor. To participate as a sponsor or exhibitor, please download and complete the Conference Sponsorship Request Form.

ReSBE 2026
2026-10-20 - 2026-10-23
ReSBE 2026 is your opportunity to shape the future of the built environment through sustainability with an emphasis on circularity.

The Laboratory of Building Construction and building Physics of the School of Civil Engineering, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki and the Department of Civil Engineering, University of Minho, along with the COST Action CA21103, join forces to host a conference dedicated to sustainability and circular economy in the built environment. The conference is proudly supported by the International Initiative for a Sustainable Built Environment (iiSBE).
Our conference theme “ReShaping the Built Environment through Sustainability and Circularity” highlights the urgent need to move beyond incremental improvements and embrace transformative approaches that drive systemic change in design, construction, operation, and renewal of the built environment.
We invite researchers, practitioners, innovators, policymakers, and experts from across disciplines, geographies, and sectors to contribute to our shared vision of a regenerative and resource-efficient built environment.

Welcome Message from the ReSBE 2026 Conference Chairs

Welcome to ReSBE 2026 – ReShaping the Built Environment through Sustainability and Circularity.
The built environment is being redefined. Innovation, digitalisation, and circular thinking are transforming how we design, construct, and renew our spaces. ReSBE 2026 is where these transformations converge to ultimately lead to a more sustainable world.
This conference is not just about sharing research; it’s about co-creating the future of how we live and build. We’re bringing together people who challenge conventions, prototype solutions, and connect disciplines, because reshaping the built environment requires a new kind of collaboration.
Over three days in Thessaloniki, we will exchange ideas that cross borders and boundaries — from AI and material circularity to regenerative cities and adaptive design. Expect open dialogue, disruptive insights, and the energy of a global community that believes innovation is inseparable from sustainability.
