Demonstration, deployment and upscaling of circular systemic solutions in cities and regions (Circular Cities and Regions Initiative)

Expected Outcome:

In supporting the implementation of the European Green Deal, and in particular the 2020 circular economy action plan (CEAP), a successful proposal will contribute to various expected impacts of this Destination, notably by supporting the development of innovative circular solutions as well as innovative business and governance models, and fostering social, technological and non-technological innovation across sectors and value chains at local and regional level.

Project results are expected to contribute to all of the following expected outcomes:

• increased circularity and reduced GHG emissions in the economic sectors, services and product value chains at local and/or regional scale, and efficient valorisation of local resources, with positive effects on air quality and biodiversity;
• widespread deployment and easier replication, scalability and visibility of circular systemic solutions for a multiplication of their economic, social and environmental benefits;
• enhanced collaboration and knowledge transfer between the cities, regions and their partners, and increased uptake and stakeholder engagement in their circular and climate-neutral practices.

Scope:

Proposals are expected to implement and demonstrate circular systemic solutions for the deployment and upscaling of the circular economy in cities and regions. The main objective is to stimulate social innovation through new circular innovative technologies, novel governance and business models in order to contribute to climate mitigation and help reduce pressures on natural resources, whilst increasing Europe’s competitiveness.

This CCRI-related topic does not target specific technologies or industrial sectors, but supports the implementation of a systemic approach. This means that the implemented circular systemic solutions should involve relevant circular economy stakeholders in the targeted cities/regions, and address several (at least two) sectors and value chains – as set out in the 2020 circular economy action plan^[1].

Proposals should select their circular systemic solutions and related economic sectors (e.g. construction and buildings, transport and mobility, bioeconomy, land use and spatial planning) based on a detailed analysis of the cities’ and regions’ socio-economic and environmental needs, as well as their local circular potentials.

Proposals should monitor and evaluate the implementation and the impacts of their circular systemic solutions through the project lifespan. This should include the identification, analysis, and when feasible, quantification of the economic, social and environmental benefits and other results. By doing so, proposals could take into consideration various social variables (e.g. gender, age, socio-economic status). In this case, proposals should involve the effective contribution of SSH disciplines.

Proposals should facilitate knowledge and experience transfer for further outreach and replication across EU Member States and Associated Countries. They should therefore clearly identify the lessons learned from the demonstration projects, specifying the enabling framework, the main (regulatory and/or market) barriers and the enablers, the business case as well as any other relevant factors for successful replication and upscaling in other cities and/or regions. In that respect, proposals should include a clear action plan to communicate experiences and results to ‘replicators’. This is essential for ensuring that circular systemic solutions demonstrated in specific areas are replicated in others, and where feasible, at larger scale.

Proposals should define financing strategies for their circular systemic solutions as part of their exploitation plan. Proposals should also foresee financing follow-up, for instance by linking with the Circular Cities and Regions Initiative financial advisory services (including the Horizon Europe funded Project Development Assistance Projects^[2] and the European Investment Bank’s Circular City Centre^[3]).

Selected proposals will support the implementation of the European Commission’s Circular Cities and Regions Initiative (CCRI).

This topic targets public local and regional authorities or their groupings in EU Member States and Associated Countries. Proposals should support the inclusive engagement and active participation of all relevant circular economy stakeholders in the targeted cities and regions, such as policymakers (at all governance levels), research bodies and academia, the civil society, the private sector (industry, entrepreneurs, start-ups, small and medium enterprises etc.), social economy entities and financial intermediaries. Moreover, proposals should ideally consider different typologies (urban/peri-urban/rural), sizes (towns/cities) and/or geographical areas. Multi-actor Approach (MAA) and social innovation are encouraged.

Proposals should clearly specify how they will ensure synergies and complementarities with other relevant circular economy projects and initiatives, including those recognised as CCRI Projects^[4] and CCRI Associated Partners^[5]. In that sense, proposals should include a dedicated task, appropriate resources and a plan on how they will collaborate with the CCRI office, projects and partners.

In particular, proposals are expected to organise joint activities and undertake clustering activities (e.g. thematic working groups, joint events, joint R&I gap analysis and policy briefs) with CCRI projects sharing a common theme and/or addressing similar issues. The proposals are also expected to ensure that their dissemination plan includes dedicated (possibly joint) actions for promotion of their results and lessons learned on the official CCRI website^[6] of the European Commission and through other CCRI-related channels. Both clustering and dissemination activities will be facilitated and supported by the CCRI Coordination and Support Office^[7] and aim to ease knowledge exchange, foster solution replication and up-taking as well as maximise impact.

Linkages with relevant initiatives such as the Hubs for Circularity^[8], the Regional Innovation Valleys^[9], the New European Bauhaus and the Climate-Neutral and Smart Cities Mission should be explored – whenever relevant.

[1] The CEAP focuses on the sectors and value chains that use most resources and where the potential for circularity is high such as: electronics and ICT, batteries and vehicles, packaging, plastics, textiles, construction and buildings, food, water and nutrients.

[2] https://circular-cities-and-regions.ec.europa.eu/ccri-projects?f%5B0%5D=type_of_action%3A183

[3] https://advisory.eib.org/about/circular-city-centre.htm

[4] List of CCRI Projects from Horizon 2020 and Horizon Europe: https://circular-cities-and-regions.ec.europa.eu/ccri-projectshttps://circular-cities-and-regions.ec.europa.eu/ccri-projects.

[5] List of CCRI Associated Partners: https://circular-cities-and-regions.ec.europa.eu/associated-partners.

[6] Official CCRI website: https://circular-cities-and-regions.ec.europa.eu/

[7] About – CCRI office | Circular Cities and Regions Initiative.

[8] Hubs4Circularity (h4c-community.eu).

[9] Selected Regional Innovation Valleys | Research and Innovation.