ICLEI – Local Governments for Sustainability

Empowers cities to transition toward a circular economy with actionable strategies for sustainable urban development.

Supports local governments in transitioning to sustainable circular food systems.

Accelerates circular construction markets through innovative financial and technical solutions.

Transforms urban organic waste into valuable products for sustainable consumption.

Enhances food security and urban sustainability across Africa.

Design and implementation of city-level circular food systems, including policy design, stakeholder engagement, inclusive governance and support for local agri-food enterprises.

Products: AfrifoodLinks, Food Systems Handbook

Financial and business development instruments and city‑led pilots that mobilize investment and de-risk projects to scale circular construction practices and markets.

Products: CirCoFin: Circular Construction Finance

Waste‑to‑value biorefinery approaches and productization of urban organic waste into coatings, compostable materials, fertilizers and bio‑stimulants.

Products: Circular Biocarbon

Frameworks, strategies and municipal actions that enable cities to adopt circular economy principles across departments, focusing on reduce, reuse, recover, regenerate and rethink interventions.

Products: Circular City Actions Framework, Food Systems Handbook, AfrifoodLinks, CirCoFin: Circular Construction Finance

Circular City Actions Framework

An ICLEI Circulars framework to introduce cities to strategies and actions for circular development at the local level. It outlines five complementary strategies and concrete actions to implement circularity across city functions and departments.

• Enhances Biodiversity
  Encourages practices that restore and protect ecosystems while promoting sustainable urban living.
• Redesigns Urban Systems
  Transforms urban areas into adaptive ecosystems that support long-term sustainability and inclusivity.
• Recovers Value From Waste
  Facilitates the reintroduction of materials into the economy, reducing overall waste and promoting sustainable practices.
• Offers Strategic Framework
  Guides cities through structured approaches to operationalize circular economy principles effectively.
• Minimizes Resource Use
  Targets waste reduction across systems, enhancing efficiency and sustainability in urban development.
• Extends Material Life Cycles
  Facilitates the ongoing utilization of resources, reducing waste and fostering a circular economy.

Food Systems Handbook

The City Practitioners Handbook: Circular Food Systems provides local governments with concrete tools for the transition to circular food systems, from stakeholder engagement to policy design, with practical recommendations.

• Facilitates Local Food System Design
  Helps local governments to effectively design food systems that leverage circular economy principles, enhancing sustainability and efficiency.
• Enhances Policy Effectiveness
  Equips decision-makers with the necessary tools and frameworks to develop policies that foster circular food systems.
• Catalyzes Community Participation
  Facilitates effective collaboration among stakeholders, essential for a successful transition to circular food practices.
• Learn from Peers
  Detailed examples provide insights into challenges, solutions, and best practices tailored to various contexts.

CirCoFin: Circular Construction Finance

A program delivering a portfolio of financial, technical and business development solutions to accelerate circular construction markets, with four cities and regions collaborating to shift markets toward circularity.

• Offers Financial Tools and Services
  Provides access to innovative financing options that facilitate investment in circular construction projects.
• Demonstrates Circular Market Models
  Shows practical examples of circular construction markets driven by local initiatives, enabling effective transition and scalability.
• Provides Technical Assistance
  Helps businesses adopt circular practices through expert guidance and tailored support, ensuring project success.
• Fosters Sustainable Urban Markets
  Encourages collaboration among municipalities and stakeholders, paving the way for sustainable circular economy practices in construction.

Circular Biocarbon

Flagship biorefinery concept turning urban organic waste streams into high-value products, including coatings, compostable waste bags, solid fertilizer, and liquid biobased biostimulants.

• Delivers Multiple End-Products
  This feature ensures a range of usable outputs, making waste management more efficient and beneficial for various industries.
• Transforms Waste into Resources
  This process maximizes resource recovery from waste, contributing to the circular economy by providing valuable materials instead of landfill contributions.

AfrifoodLinks

A multi-partner initiative to improve food security and urban sustainability in Africa, promoting healthy diets, transforming urban food systems, supporting women and youth in agri-food businesses, and strengthening inclusive governance.

• Promotes Healthy Diets
  Encourages the adoption of healthy diets while transforming urban food systems to meet sustainability goals.
• Strengthens Governance
  Enhances governance frameworks that include diverse stakeholders in urban food system decision-making.
• Empowers Women and Youth
  Provides targeted support to amplify the roles of women and youth in the agri-food industry, fostering entrepreneurship and innovation.