The war on waste: ‘Every item from our daily life needs to become part of the circular economy’

The U.S. government plans to end purchases of gas-powered vehicles by 2035 in a move to lower emissions and promote electric cars under an executive order signed by President Joe Biden on Wednesday. The government owns more than 650,000 vehicles and purchases about 50,000 annually. Biden’s executive order said that light-duty vehicles acquired by the government will be emission-free by 2027. Total federal government operations will reduce emissions by 65% by 2030 under the plan. The government will seek to consume electricity only from carbon-free and non-polluting sources on a net annual basis by 2030 and have net-zero emissions by 2050. The order noted the U.S. government is “the single largest land owner, energy consumer and employer in the nation” and can transform “how we build, buy and manage electricity, vehicles, buildings and other operations to be clean and sustainable.”

Josoor Institute, the training and education arm of the Supreme Committee for Delivery & Legacy (SC), recently held a new webinar focused on the circular economy – an economic approach aimed at minimising waste. Moderated by Orjan Lundberg, Sustainability & Environmental Expert at the SC, speakers discussed different strategies and best practices in implementing sustainable practices in relation to supply chain and waste management in the planning of large events held in urban settings. Alexandre Hedjazi, Director of the Global Environmental Policy Programme at the University of Geneva, emphasised the role urgency plays in encouraging event planners to unlock innovative solutions. In particular, he discussed initiatives that addressed challenges related to providing sustainable critical infrastructures during a large event while ensuring their long-term legacy afterwards.