CSCP Explores Roles of ICT and Culture in Circularity at the Circular Economy Stakeholder Conference in Brussels 20 – 21 February The CSCP is hosting two sessions at the Circular Economy Stakeholder Conference. “Roadmap to ICT-enabled circular economy”, where we will sketch the untapped potential of ICT for circular economy transitions, as well as “Overcoming Cultural Challenges in the Circular Transition” on the cultural changes needed for such a transition. Moving from a linear economic system towards a circular one presents its unique challenges: If waste is supposed to become input material, its flows must be closely monitored and managed. The growth of information and communication technology (ICT) over the past decades provides the solution. The internet of things, clouds and blockchain technology have enabled global connectivity and powerful ways for sensing, storing and communicating information. In the CSCP’s session “Roadmap to ICT-enabled circular economy”, the CSCP’s executive director Michael Kuhndt will engage participants to sketch the untapped potential of ICT enabling circular economy, develop proposals for addressing its challenges, and create a roadmap for accelerating the transition. In the CSCP’s second session “Overcoming Cultural Challenges in the Circular Transition”, Raymond Slaughter, Senior Advisor at the CSCP, will explore how changing consumers and producers’ framing of the world requires a profound cultural shift. Our collective consumption habits may already be changing gradually through the advent of Airbnb, for example. Nevertheless, consuming better, more efficiently, collaboratively and sustainably, will require a lot more change. In this session, we will map out the cultural barriers to the circular economy transformation and explore solutions with the help of concrete cases. The Circular Economy Stakeholder Conference is hosted by the Commission and the European Economic and Social Committee in oder to recount the achievements of EU Circular Economy Package, adopted in 2015, and the first successes of the European Circular Economy Stakeholder Platform. The CSCP has been a member of the Platform since 2016 with executive director Michael Kuhndt serving on its Coordination Group. With more than half of the initiatives of the Action Plan already delivered, future steps will be planned and new areas of action explored. Date: 20-21 February 2018 Location: Brussels Language: English Further information here