On 10 December, our partners at ICLEI Europe hosted an online, 1.5 hour co-creation workshop on the theme of Starting and Implementing a Circular Hub for Industrial-Urban Symbiosis. Here’s an account of how the session went, courtesy of our colleague, Victoria Miles:
“We started the seminar by presenting the case of Zaragoza’s Circular Economy Hub, which emerged from REDOL, and several participants showed interest in learning more, as it is a successful example of the establishment of a hub. Following the presentations, we moved into three breakout rooms to discuss key elements that are needed when kickstarting a circular hub.
During the breakouts, participants discussed several critical aspects to consider when planning, establishing, and developing a hub, such as stakeholder engagement or regulatory considerations. All groups agreed that a common challenge is early onboarding of key stakeholders (particularly industries and public authorities), as well as the lack of clear regulatory frameworks. Additionally, there was a consensus that a hub doesn’t need to follow a closed or fixed model – on the contrary, it should adapt to its local context. For example, while some participants considered a physical space essential, others felt that a digital platform could be sufficient to meet the companies’ needs.
The contributions that were gathered during the session will shape the practical Guidelines for Industrial-Urban Symbiosis that ICLEI is developing in the frame of the REDOL project.”
You will hear more about these guidelines in the upcoming months – in the meantime, follow our journey on the website here and on social media to learn more about the challenges we address and the solutions we propose!
