The first blog delved into the principles and relevance of circular economy (CE) in reducing the overconsumption of finite resources. In this concluding blog, the authors share their experiences from the World Circular Economy Forum (WCEF) 2024, held during the beginning of the financial year 2024−25 in Brussels, the capital of Belgium and a hub of policymaking in Europe.
The WCEF 2024 gathered over 1,500 people from nearly 168 countries and more than 9,800 viewers online. Over 4 days, the forum brought together players from all sectors of the economy, representatives of municipalities, and policymakers from around the world. Further, 160 speakers shared their perspectives and key insights across 4 plenaries and 16 parallel sessions. On the sidelines, 11 workshops and 55 accelerator sessions were hosted by the forum partners and collaborators on diverse topics with circularity at its core.
Whatever new and old technologies were discussed at WCEF, the key message is clear: the CE must prioritise sufficiency as a key principle. Well, we strongly believe that our present choices as consumers, business leaders, researchers, decision-makers, and policy-makers have a direct impact on our future. So, let us make the future liveable and sustainable.
