Workshop: Understanding Net Zero and the Circular Economy

Can the eco­nomy and the envi­ron­ment sus­ta­ina­bly co-exist? That is the exis­ten­ti­al ques­ti­on that deci­si­on makers and policy makers aro­und the wor­ld are wres­tling with con­si­de­ring the sig­ni­fi­cant envi­ron­men­tal chal­len­ges that the wor­ld is cur­ren­tly facing. Alt­ho­ugh the­re is no defi­ni­ti­ve answer yet, the­re is a growing con­sen­sus that it is possi­ble to de-couple eco­no­mic acti­vity from envi­ron­men­tal degra­da­ti­on and the path towar­ds Net Zero and reali­za­ti­on of the Cir­cu­lar Eco­nomy are two cle­ar exam­ples of how this may be achi­eved. This wor­k­shop will expla­in the­se con­cep­ts and demons­tra­te prac­ti­cal exam­ples of how they are being reali­zed. Tool and met­hods such as car­bon acco­un­ting, eco­no­mic valu­ati­on of ecosys­tem ser­vi­ces, and gre­en eco­no­mic re-struc­tu­ring will be pre­sen­ted to par­ti­ci­pants so they can ​‘see’ how the­se efforts are tan­gi­bly being reali­zed and the poten­ti­al for the­ir full deployment.