RCE Wales - 2023

RCE Wales and its work on informing Circular Economy Policy
CSV
Basic Information
Title of project : 
RCE Wales and its work on informing Circular Economy Policy
Submitting RCE: 
RCE Wales
Contributing organization(s) : 
Swansea University in collaboration with the Higher Education Wales Future Generations Group members.
Focal point(s) and affiliation(s)
Name: 
Professor Gavin Bunting
Organizational Affiliation: 
Chair RCE Wales
E-mail: 
g.t.m.bunting@swansea.ac.uk
Format of project: 
Paper
Language of project: 
English
Date of submission:
Friday, March 31, 2023
Web link: 
http://www.rce.cymru/
Does this project link to any education and/or sustainable development policy or policies?: 
Yes
Wellbeing of Future Generations (Wales) 2015 Act
At what level is the policy operating?: 
National
Extended producer responsibility for packaging
At what level is the policy operating?: 
National
Circular Economy Strategy for Wales
At what level is the policy operating?: 
National
Geographical & Education Information
Region: 
Europe
Country: 
United Kingdom
Location(s): 
Wales
Address of focal point institution for project: 
Swansea University,
Bay Campus,
Fabien Way,
Swansea.
SA1 8EN
Ecosystem(s):

Target Audience:
Community, Higher, Primary, Secondary, Teacher Ed., TVET, Youth (Informal)
Socioeconomic and environmental characteristics of the area : 
Wales (population 3.1 million) is a bilingual nation. It has a total land area of 20,758 sq.kms, with over 2,700km of coastline and large mountainous hinterland; Yr Wyddfa (Snowdon), the highest summit standing at 1,085 meters. It shares a border with England to the east, the Irish Sea to the north and West and the Bristol Channel to the south. The nation’s economy relies heavily on heavy industry, tourism, providing services, the public sector and small business. A large percentage of the population is urban, living in and around Caerdydd (Cardiff), Casnewydd (Newport) and Abertawe (Swansea), cities in the south of Wales.
Description of sustainable development challenge(s) in the area the project addresses: 
Circular economy, sustainable consumption and production
Contents
Status: 
Ongoing
Period: 
August, 2017 to March, 2021
Rationale: 
This paper focuses on the work of the Circular Economy orbit of interest, led by Professor Gavin Bunting, and its focus on informing Government policy. It highlights learnings from the process and challenges faced.
Objectives: 
It is hoped that this overview will provide an insight into ways in which it is possible to inform the policy process, and thus inspire other RCEs to seek to influence policy in their region.
Activities and/or practices employed: 
One area the RCE Wales Circular Economy group (also known as the Circular Economy Research and Innovation Group, Wales (CERIG)) has focussed on is informing Government policy related to circular economy. This has been through a formal response to the Consultation on reforming the UK packaging producer responsibility system; a consultation event for members to respond to the Welsh Government’s Circular Economy Strategy consultation, and discussions at meetings.
Size of academic audience: 
All universities in Wales
Results: 
This Circular Economy Strategy for Wales “Beyond Recycling” was launched in March 2021 with CERIG highlighted within the Strategy as fulfilling an important role facilitating collaborative research and innovation within the Circular Economy. The group helped inform consideration of whole lifecycle approaches when developing strategies to minimise resource use; how to define the circular economy; and the focus on wider resource reduction strategies, such as reuse and remanufacture, i.e. “beyond recycling”.
Lessons learned: 
A key learning from this process is to take a long-term view to influencing policy. The policy development cycle doesn’t start with a formal consultation, it starts much earlier than this. It is therefore important to develop relationships with policy officials to inform their thinking early on in the process. We also know that developing robust evidence to inform and support our advocacy can be a long process, it is therefore important to, where possible, develop an overview of likely policy being considered in the medium term, so that research and evidence can be developed to align with this.
Key messages: 
Informing Government policy can be a rewarding process, especially when it is possible to see how one has influenced frameworks and guidance which have national importance on topics we care so passionately about.
Funding: 
RCE Wales does not receive external funding to operate.
References and reference materials: 
PDF icon RCE Wales and its work on informing Circular Economy Policy June 2021.pdf
UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)
(https://sustainabledevelopment.un.org/sdgs) and other themes of Education for Sustainable Development (ESD)
SDG 3 - Ensure healthy lives and promote wellbeing for all at all ages 
Indirect
SDG 8 - Promote sustained, inclusive and sustainable economic growth, full and productive employment, and decent work for all 
Indirect
SDG 9 - Build resilient infrastructure, promote inclusive and sustainable industrialisation, and foster innovation 
Direct
SDG 12 - Ensure sustainable consumption and production patterns 
Direct
SDG 14 - Conserve and sustainably use the oceans, seas and marine resources for sustainable development 
Indirect
SDG 15 - Protect, restore and promote sustainable use of terrestrial ecosystems, sustainably manage forests, combat desertification and halt and reverse land degradation, and halt biodiversity loss 
Indirect
SDG 16 - Promote peaceful and inclusive societies for sustainable development, provide access to justice for all and build effective, accountable and inclusive institutions at all levels 
Direct
SDG 17 - Strengthen the means of implementation and revitalise the global partnership for sustainable development 
Direct
Theme
Traditional Knowledge  
Direct
Curriculum Development 
Direct
Waste 
Direct
ESD for 2030-Priority Action Areas
Priority Action Area 1 - Advancing policy 
state: 
Direct
Priority Action Area 3 - Developing capacities of educators and trainers 
state: 
Direct
Priority Action Area 5 - Accelerating sustainable solutions at local level 
state: 
Direct
Update: 
No
I acknowledge the above: 
Yes