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A shared vision of shifting from the traditional lin​ear economy to a circular economy

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Context

The need for a better management of our resources is becoming more and more evident as resources are becoming scarce and improvements in resource management have demonstrated to having positive impacts in climate change mitigation, economic savings, resilience and poverty eradication, amongst others. There is need to transitioning to a cyclic model all throughout the value chain wherein we do more and better with less resources. This ecological and societal transformation will require that we consume in moderation, make and use products that last longer, use products as services, limit waste generation through reuse, repair and transforming wastes to resources.  Our ambition is to successfully move towards a green and circular economy.

     In order to ensure the uptake of circular economy policies, it is critical to initially formulate a clear transition plan with clear actions and measures that can be swiftly adopted by one and all and ultimately come forward with a roadmap on circular economy for the Republic of Mauritius. Accordingly, there is need for the collaboration of the business community, NGO's and the public sector.

 In this context, the Ministry of Environment, Solid Waste Management and Climate change is holding a three days' national conference on circular economy from 25 to 27 May 2022. 

       Objectives of the conference

  1. ​To present the current state of Circular Economy in six specific sectors in Mauritius;
  2. To identify  key areas of challenges and opportunities in moving to a Circular Economy Model in the six sectors;
  3. To promote awareness on the concept and the benefits of Circular Economy; and
  4. To make recommendations on enabling measures for implementation of Circular Economy and way forward.​
​What is Circular Economy? Wa​tch Video​ ​​


AGENDA – 25th-27th May 2022

DAY 1: Wednesday 25 May 2022​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​
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Opening Session​​

    • Welcome Address by Mr. Gerard Manuel
    • Address by H.E. Mr. Vincent Degert, Ambassador of the European Union
    • Address by UN Resident Coordinator, a.i. ​, Dr. Indrajit Hazarika, World Health Organisation Representative
    • Address by Dr. the Honourable Renganaden Padayachy, Minister of Finance, Economic Planning and Development
    • Key note address and opening by Honourable Kavydass Ramano, Minister of Environment, Solid Waste Management and Climate Change

Session 1: Setting the scene

Moderator: Mr. J. Seewoobaduth, Ag. Director of Environment​

    • ​Recent developments in the Circular Economy transition in Europe and globally  by Mr Davor Per​can, Head of Unit DG ENV F2 – Regional and Bilateral Environmental Cooperation (Virtual)
    • ​Circular Economy in Mauritius:  Current status and policy needs by Prof. T. Ramjeawon from the University of Mauritius
    • Circular Economy – The regional perspective and sharing of best practices by Ms R. WACHIRA, Programme Management Officer UNEP Nairobi. (Click here to read full document)
    • ​ « Loi Anti-gaspillage » by Mrs Christel Thuret, coordinatrice économie circulaire à la direction régionale Océan Indien de l'Agence de l'environnement et de la maîtrise de l'énergie (ADEME) (Click her​e to read full document)​

    Session 2: Bringing circularity in the food system

     Moderator: Mr A Goolaub, Assistant Director, FAREI

    Address by Hon Maneesh GOBIN, Minister of Agro-Industry and Food Security

      •  Promoting circularity in Food Production Systems by Mrs Indoomatee Ramma, Principal Research Scientist, FAREI (Click here to read full document)
      • Greening the retail sector – bridging the gap between production and consumption  by Mrs Stephanie Serret, Head of Department, Marketing, Winners 
      • Transitioning to a Zero Waste Strategy in the food sector by Mrs Rebecca Espitalier-Noel, Managing Director, FoodWise Ltd. (Click here to read full document)
      • Integrating food waste management into circular food economy: Opportunities and challenges - Prof Daya Goburdhun, Associate Professor, UOM (Click here to​ read full document)​

    Session 3: Circular economy in the ICT sector (inc. electronic / electrical equipment)

    Co-Moderators: Mr Kowlesser, Senior Adviser, Ministry of Environment, Solid Waste Management and Climate Change and Mr. Rajnish Hawabhay, Chief Technical Officer, Ministry of Information Technology, Communication and Innovation

    Address by Hon. Deepak Balgobin Minister of Information Technology, Communication a​nd Innovation 

      • Moving towards Circular Economy – Developments in the Electronics Industry Sector by Mr Klaus Hieronymi, Consultant, Geschäftsführer bei Circular Economy Research (CER) GmbH (Virtual)
      • Extended Producer Responsibility (E-goods) by Mr. B. Beerachee, Director, Solid Waste Management Division
      • Experience Reunionaise - REP, by Ms. Christiane Albert, Consultante REP/ Economie Circulaire aupres du SICR et Vice -Preside​nte, Cluster Green (from La Reunion)
      • Recycling of Waste of Electric and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) by Mr.Thierry Malabar, Project Manager, BEM Enterprises Ltd
    DAY 2: Thursday 26 May 2023​

    Session 4: Building circularity in the construction and demolition industry​

    Moderator: Mr Ram Bahadoor, Executive Director of CIDB 

     Address by Hon Mahendranuth Sharma HURREERAM,  Minister of National Infrastructure and Community Development 

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    Session 5: Promoting circularity in the energy sector

     Moderator: Mr Doumeraj Jahajeeah, Ag. Director, Technical Services , MEPU

    Address by Hon Georges Pierre LESJONGARD, Minister of Energy and Public Utilities

    Session 6: Circular economy in the manufacturing sector​

    Co- Moderators:  Assoc. Prof. D. Surroop (UoM) andDr. R. Domun, Principal Industrial Analyst, Min/Industry.

    Address by Hon Soomilduth BHOLAH, Minister of Industrial Development, SMEs and Cooperatives 

    DAY 3: FRIDAY 27 May 2022

    Session 7: Circular economy in the solid waste sector 

    List of Speakers

    Moderator: Mr Gregory Martin - Regional Council of Reunion island - Office of Mauritius

    Address by Hon. Kavydass Ramano, Ministry of Environment, Solid Waste Management and Climate Change ​



    Session 8: Financing Circularity

    Moderator: Prof. T. Ramjeawon,  Professor of Environmental Engineering at the Faculty of Engineering, University of Mauritius

    Address by a representative from the Ministry of Finance, Economic Planning and Development

      • Private sector response to enable circularity by Mr. Kevin Ramkaloan, CEO, Business Mauritius  (Click here to rea​d full docum​ent) ​​​
      • Financing Circularity for a Strong and Resilient Local Economy, by Mr Aldo Sydonie, Senior Relationship Mana​ger, Mauritius Commercial Bank Ltd  (Click here to rea​d full document) ​​​
      • Financing Circularity via Impact Funds by Ms  Oumila Sibartie, Co-Founder and Director, Lineage Investment Services Ltd
      • Financing waste management and circular economy in the green bond market by Mr Ashveen Gopee, Director, Lex Frontier
      • Moving to  Circular Economy through Public & Private Partnership by Ms Manjula Basant Rai , CEO, SPAANDA

    Session 9: Summary and Way forward

    Co - Moderators: H.E. Mr. Vincent Degert, Ambassador of the European Union and   Dr Patrick Mwesigye, Regional Sub-Programme Coordinator,  Switch Africa Green Project,   UNEP

      • Summary and Recommendations by moderators (power presentation)
        • Where are we?
        • Where do we want to go?
        • ​​ How to​ reach there? (enablers / urgent and other measures)

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