The Circular Economy: A Global and National Perspective

Student Development Office, SSPS

'The Circular Economy: A Global Perspective' - a panel discussion

Inspace

From a multidisciplinary perspective, this panel discussion will explore the national and global dynamics behind the acceleration towards a circular economy. It will connect the dots between national and international initiatives as well as between industry and policymaking. In particular, the event will explore how the circular economy will change patterns of international trade, cooperation and development across the world along with why we may need to rethink conceptions of globalisation and repurpose international organisations. Further themes of environmental justice and international law will be covered along with recent developments such as the movement towards a UN plastics treaty and the deposit return scheme here in Scotland.Overall, this event promises a wide-ranging and thought-provoking discussion on this exciting area of transformative change already in its antecedents across the world to end natural-resource exploitation, combat climate change and protect the natural environment.The School of Social and Political Science at the University of Edinburgh looks forward to welcoming our panelists, including:Dr Jack Barrie:Jack is an expert on the topic of the circular economy. As a research fellow at Chatham House, Jack leads on pioneering research examining the intersections between the circular economy and international trade, legislation, geopolitics, finance and the Sustainable Development Goals.He works on a range of different global projects – including the European Commission's flagship circular economy project – and he further advises high-ranking public sector officials and private-sector leaders. In addition to his work at Chatham House, Jack is an editor of the Circular Economy journal and often lecturers on the Circular Economy and Sustainability. He is also a Royal Society of Edinburgh Young Academy of Scotland Member and holds a PhD on Scotland’s transition to a circular economy.Ieva Baršauskaitė:Ieva is a senior policy advisor at the International Institute of Sustainable Development (IISD) working on sustainable trade issues. During her 15-year diplomatic career at the Lithuanian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ieva has worked on a broad range of issues related to the international economy, trade, sustainability and the environment. She has represented the Government of Lithuania as Deputy Permanent Representative at the World Trade Organization (WTO) and served as the chairperson of the WTO Committee on Subsidies and Countervailing Duties. She has also served as a representative at the United Nations, European Union and as Vice-Chairperson of the OECD Joint Working Party on Trade and the Environment. Ieva has a master’s degree in international relations and diplomacy as well as a bachelor’s degree in political science from Vytautas Magnus University (Lithuania). Dr Michael Hennessy Picard: Michael is the Programme Director of the LLM in Global Environment and Climate Change Law at the University of Edinburgh School of Law. He teaches International Waste Law at the University and is the Co-editor of 'Wastiary: A bestiary of waste' (forthcoming July 2023, UCL Press), which can be accessed here: https://www.uclpress.co.uk/products/222020 Kim Pratt:Kim is the Circular Economy Campaigner at Friends of the Earth Scotland. She campaigns for an environmentally and socially strong circular economy in Scotland. Her work covers the environmental impacts of material consumption and waste policies and how these must be embedded into the climate justice movement. She has worked on projects ranging from material requirements of the energy transition to steel processing in Scotland and the need to end incineration. Kim works with the public and community groups along with other environmental organisations to influence the development of a circular economy in Scotland. She is also a regular guest lecturer at Edinburgh and Strathclyde universities. Iain Gulland: Iain is Zero Waste Scotland’s founding Chief Executive. Zero Waste Scotland leads on the delivery of the Scottish Government’s Circular Economy strategy and other low carbon policy priorities. Previously Iain worked with initiating recycling systems in the public, private and third sectors and led the Community Recycling Network, Scotland until 2008. Iain has recently been appointed President of the Association of Cities and Regions for Resource Management (ACR+) and is a member of several Scottish Government Programme Boards including those covering low carbon and manufacturing. Iain was named the ‘most inﬂuential person in the UK waste and resource efficiency sector’ by Resource Magazine (2014) and was granted fellowship of the Chartered Institution of Waste Management in 2016.Professor Veronica Ruiz Abou-Nigm:Veronica is Chair of Private International Law and Director of External Relations at the University of Edinburgh's Law School. Her research bridges disciplines, focusing on the intersections between Private International Law and various other legal disciplines, such as Maritime Law, Public International Law, International Commercial Arbitration and International Civil and Commercial Litigation. A common thread of Veronica's research is internationalisation, from a perspective that embraces diversity: legal, cultural and methodological diversity and enables the development of legal knowledge that fosters better cross-border cooperation and understandings. In particular, Veronica’s research develops ideas in which Private International Law can contribute to accommodate the richness of different legal traditions and cultures in cross-border cases. This event is being moderated and coordinated by Jack Philipsborn. Before Edinburgh, Jack worked in politics and policy at the UK Parliament, including at a cabinet-minister level during the high intensity years of Brexit and then the pandemic. He holds an undergraduate degree from Fitzwilliam College, University of Cambridge and is the Programme Representative for the MSc in Global Environment, Politics and Society here at the University of Edinburgh. His MSc thesis is examining the circular economy’s compatibility with climate justice. Matilda Stalker and Cat Johnson are supporting this event along with the Student Development Office and the Student Initiative Fund at the School of Social and Political Science at the University of Edinburgh.

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The Circular Economy: A Global and National Perspective

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