Circular economy - Australia
A Circular Economy is a systems solution framework that tackles global challenges like climate change, biodiversity loss, waste, and pollution. It is based on three principles: eliminate waste and pollution, circulate products and materials (at their highest value), and regenerate nature. It is a model of production and consumption, which involves slowing the loop and closing the loop ─thus creating maximum value within the economy and reducing waste to a minimum.
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Memorandum of Understanding
In 2019, in the presence of Prime Minister Rutte and Australian Government officials, the Holland Circular Hotspot and Planet Ark signed a Memorandum of Understanding on Circular Economic cooperation. Since that signing, the Australian–Netherlands partnership has moved from strength to strength. Over the years, businesses, academics, government officials, and NGO representatives have developed a strong and active partnership centered around knowledge sharing and commercial opportunities. The Netherlands is considered a global Circular Economy leader and trusted partner.
Visit of Jacqueline Cramer
In 2022 Prof. Jacqueline Cramer, a recognized global Circular Economy leader, emeritus professor of the University of Utrecht, and former Dutch Minister for the environment visited Australia for an 8 week period. During her visit she worked extensively with industry, academia, and government representatives to help accelerate Australia’s transition towards circularity. The visit centered on the importance of Network Governance and how this system can act as a catalyst for enabling the Circular Economy.
During her time in Australia Prof. Jacqueline Cramer wrote a blog on her experiences in the country and you can find her posts here: Australia: Circular Economy Developments by Jacqueline Cramer - Holland Circular Hotspot. Professor Cramer’s visit will result in a publication on the state of circularity in building and construction as well as on types of collaboration. This publication will be launched early 2025 by professor Jacqueline Cramer and Professor Usha Iyer-Raniga (RMIT).
Partners in International Business for the Waste Sector
circular economy. This PIB represents a public-private partnership between Dutch government and business and supports innovative Dutch businesses in waste and the circular economy to identify opportunities in the Australian market. The PIB also emphasizes knowledge exchange and building connections between the governments of the Netherlands and Australia.
As the PIB matures and Australia continues to make strides towards a Circular Economy, collaboration themes include water, food-waste prevention, digitization, renewable energy, critical minerals, advanced manufacturing, and the medical sector. Additional themes gaining traction are Transition Brokerage, Circular Digitization, next-generation CE policies, and the development of end-markets.
As part of the ongoing PIB for waste and the circular economy, we have organised three consecutive missions to Australia with delegations consisting of both private enterprise and public representatives. During each of these three missions, the delegations have participated in Waste Expo Australia in Melbourne 2022, the Australasian Recycling and Waste Expo in Perth 2023, and the Waste2024 conference in Coffs Harbour of 2024. Key to these missions have been the participation of Joan Prummel, the Dutch Government’s International Circular Economy Advisor who has spoken at length on the importance of circular procurement