Circular Economy Mobilisation Group multiple presentations

This event will focus on different aspects of the Circular Economy

Circular Economy Mobilisation Group Event, 4th June 2026, 10.00-13.00, Jubilee Building G32

International Perspectives on Circular Economy Transformation: Global Pathways and Local Practices

This event highlights international perspectives on how circular economy transitions are unfolding across diverse sectors and regions, with a particular focus on emerging and developing economies. Presentations explore the role of policy, trade, and international cooperation in shaping circular pathways, alongside case studies from Africa and India that highlight real-world implementation in agrifood and bioenergy systems. Speakers will examine both the opportunities and persistent challenges in scaling circular practices, from business model innovation and value chain transformation to the social, institutional, and knowledge barriers that influence uptake. By bridging global frameworks with localised insights, the event offers a nuanced understanding of how circular economy strategies can contribute to resilience, sustainability, and more equitable development outcomes worldwide.

Presentation 1 – Patrick Schroeder

Solutions pathways for the circular economy transformation – policy, trade and international cooperation

Abstract:

The presentation provides an overview of recent circular economy research I have undertaken at Chatham House, including its work on how circular approaches can support the post-2030 development agenda and contribute to a broader wellbeing economy. It explores how circularity is increasingly understood as an international agenda that is shaped by global trade, value chains, and increasingly geopolitical dynamics. Drawing on analysis of national circular economy roadmaps we have conducted with UNIDO, the presentation highlights how countries are approaching CE transitions differently. It also reflects the solution pathways developed under Global Environment Outlook 7 (GEO-7), which position the transformation of materials and waste systems as a key lever for addressing the multiple planetary crises. Particular attention is given to how circular economy policies intersect with industrial strategy, development pathways, and international cooperation.

Bio:

Patrick Schröder is an international sustainability expert specializing in climate change, resource governance, the circular economy, and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). He works at the intersection of science, policy, and media to advance evidence-based policies, communicate complex sustainability issues, and promote equitable governance solutions at the multilateral level. He is a Coordinating Lead Author for the IPCC Assessment Report 7 (WG III – Mitigation), Coordinating Lead Author for the UN Global Environment Outlook 7, and a member of the International Science Council Expert Group on Plastic Pollution. From 2016-2019 he was a Research Fellow at the Institute of Development Studies, University of Sussex.

Presentation 2 – Peter Desmond

Circular Food Systems in Africa - a case study of Rwanda

Abstract:

The African Circular Economy Network (ACEN) was founded in 2016 and is now represented in 42 African countries. The vision of ACEN is to build a restorative African economy that generates well-being and prosperity, inclusive of all its people, through action research, knowledge sharing, delivering projects and building a network of circular economy practitioners. Since 2022 ACEN has been working with the IKEA Foundation and the World Resources Institute on a project entitled "Circular Food Systems for Rwanda" (CIRF) to support small and medium-sized enterprises in the Rwandan agri-food sector to improve their ability to develop circular business models. The project also has a policy track, which aims to create an enabling regulatory framework, alongside stakeholder engagement, to catalyse circularity in food systems transformation. ACEN is now looking to scale out the frameworks and tools developed in the CIRF project across the continent.

Bio:

Peter is a Chartered Accountant, business consultant and coach with over 30 years' experience working across corporates, charities, universities and non-profit organisations. After studying Geography at St Edmund Hall, Oxford, Peter trained with Price Waterhouse in the UK and South Africa before moving into senior finance roles in industry. In 1991 he founded Growth International, a consultancy recognised for its social impact, and has since worked as a trainer, coach, interim finance director and trustee, particularly in Southern Africa. Peter holds an MBA and an MA (Distinction) in "Globalisation, Business and Development" from the Institute of Development Studies at the University of Sussex; his Master's dissertation was entitled "Towards a circular economy in South Africa - what are the constraints to recycling mobile phones?". In 2016, he co-founded the African Circular Economy Network, where he now serves on the Advisory Board, supporting SMEs and mentoring senior leaders. He has played a key role in major circular economy initiatives in Africa, including hosting the first World Circular Economy Forum on the continent and delivering large-scale circular food systems projects in Rwanda. He is a founding member of It's Down To Us, an inter-generational non-profit that supports younger leaders working on the front line of the climate and environmental transition.

Presentation 3 - Sung Kyu Kim

Drivers, Barriers, and Uptake of Circular Practices in Rwandan Agribusinesses

Abstract:

What factors motivate or constrain the adoption of circular practices among agribusinesses in Rwanda, and how extensively are these practices understood and implemented? Circular and regenerative strategies are widely promoted as essential for resilience and competitiveness in food and agriculture sector, yet circular economy (CE) knowledge remains overwhelmingly derived from industrialised countries. This bias leaves critical gaps in understanding how CE practices actually emerge and operate in low‑ and middle‑income agribusiness contexts. Our study explores and analyses circular knowledge, attitudes, and practices among agribusinesses in Rwanda. Our findings show that while profitability remains important, many agribusinesses are also motivated by environmental stewardship, social responsibility, and a desire to strengthen community resilience. Despite limited policy support, firms demonstrate strong commitment to circular economy practices, with proactive adoption, sustainability leadership, and openness to collaboration. However, knowledge and implementation are uneven: businesses tend to focus on resource‑efficiency and cost‑saving measures within the 10R framework, while more transformative circular principles are less widely understood or applied. Additionally, the absence of a shared definition of “circularity” in the agri‑food sector means that many firms engage in circular practices without explicitly identifying them as such, limiting the visibility, support, and scalability of these initiatives.

Bio:

Dr Sung Kyu Kim is an Assistant Professor in Energy Policy and Sustainability at the Science Policy Research Unit (SPRU). His research engages with broader debates on the future of food and agricultural systems, examining the dynamics of sustainable food system transitions and the trade‑offs involved in balancing economic, environmental, and social objectives. His latest open‑access research on circular practices in Rwandan agribusinesses can be found here (link).

Presentation 4 - Kanika Balani

Energy Efficiency Innovation in the Indian Sugar-Bioenergy Industry: Circular Business Strategies and Value Gaps

Abstract:

This presentation shares two papers from ongoing PhD research examining business model innovation in the Indian sugar-bioenergy sector. Industrial energy efficiency is typically framed in the literature as a techno-economic optimisation challenge, overlooking how outcomes are shaped by business models embedded within broader socio-technical and socio-ecological systems. This research reconceptualises energy efficiency as a multi-dimensional value efficiency, examining its co-evolution across multiple systems.

The first paper traces how firms transitioned from sugar-centric production to integrated biorefinery configurations, with technological choices co-evolving with institutional arrangements and natural ecosystems, resulting in progressively enhanced circularity. The second paper identifies persistent value gaps: circular resource and nutrient loops remain incomplete, and current business models generate insufficient value for farmers and the natural environment. It explores alternative configurations to optimise value distribution across the sugarcane value chain. Both papers draw on in-depth semi-structured interviews and a multi-stakeholder roundtable, integrating business model theory with co-evolutionary and circular economy perspectives.

Bio:

Kanika Balani is a PhD researcher at the Science Policy Research Unit (SPRU). Her research focuses on enhancing energy efficiency and circularity in the Indian sugar-bioenergy industry. Previously, she has worked as an energy policy researcher at think tanks in India on issues of energy access and distribution.