Hundreds of experts, city representatives, and pioneers gathered for in-depth exchanges on the future of circular cities at the European Week of Regions and Cities hosted in October 2025 in Brussels, Belgium. CSCP’s Dr. Shirin Betzler and Dr. Johannes Klement contributed by sharing our experiences and insights on circular cities and regions and by engaging with peers on how we can collectively accelerate progress toward more sustainable urban futures.
The event was a marathon of ideas: three days packed with seminars, high-level panels, and networking on a shared commitment to drive circular economy in cities at the European Week of Regions and Cities.
On day one, the CSCP was present at the C3 Circular City Seminar, an event organised by the Circular Cities Declaration, an initiative in which the CSCP is a partner. Here, the focus was on how can cities endorse circular procurement. The new Guidance Document on Circular Public Procurement demonstrated that we’re long past theory. ICLEI Europe presented practical tools, followed by inspiring examples from the cities of Leuven, Belgium and Riga, Latvia. In breakout sessions, participants discussed specific challenges with city representatives, from procurement guidelines to political hurdles.
Day two shifted the spotlight to the heart of European decision-making: the European Parliament. At the final event of the InvestCEC project, the city of Klagenfurt, Germany, took centre stage. A highlight was the panel discussion featuring Member of the European Parliament Sandro Gozi, alongside business and administrative representatives, exploring strategic partnerships and innovative financing models. The message was clear: circular projects require not only vision but also investment readiness.
Running parallel and into day three: Europe’s largest regional networking event took place at the European Week of Regions and Cities. Here, the CSCP represented the Circular Cities and Regions Initiative (CCRI) at the CCRI stand and participated in numerous sessions covering a wide range of topics, from construction to textiles to urban mobility. Since 2024, the CSCP plays a crucial role in the implementation of CCRI Communities of Practice for the circular transition across Europe.
Key takeaways? The momentum on circular cities and regions is not only growing, it is also becoming more nuanced and therefore more targeted. For cities and regions willing to drive the circular transformation, there is a wealth of support available. The CCRI compass is a good starting point to navigate this landscape.
As an active member of the CCRI community, we look forward to contributing our expertise and forging new partnerships to support cities and regions overcome challenges and advance the circular transition!
For further questions and to engage with us, please contact Dr. Johannes Klement.
How do social norms shape our everyday decisions about food waste? The EU-funded project, CHORIZO set out to understand the role of social norms in food loss and waste (FLW). While the project did not test norm-shifting interventions in the field, it achieved something both concrete and useful: it identified which norms matter in different contexts and built this understanding into a practical design process that practitioners can start using right away.
The EU wastes over 58 million tonnes of food every year—that’s about 130 kilograms per person. Reducing this waste is one of the quickest ways for Europe to cut emissions, save money, and promote fairness*.
With the revised Waste Framework Directive now in force, EU Member States must meet binding food waste reduction targets by 2030: at least 10% less waste in food processing and manufacturing and at least 30% less waste per person across retail, restaurants, food services, and households, measured against the 2021–2023 baseline.
By setting these binding goals, the EU has turned intention into obligation—making systematic, evidence-based intervention design, including social-norm checks, more important than ever.
Over the last four years, the EU funded project, CHORIZO identified norms across different contexts and translated insights into capacity building and two open tools. Now, practioners are invited to use the actionable pathway to assess if norms matter in their context and plan rigorous trials.
Digital tools to extend the work
The CHORIZO Visualiser helps explore how messages might play out across contexts. The CHORIZO DataHub gathers documents and datasets on food loss and waste with an AI-supported search to quickly find relevant evidence.
8-step approach with social-norm considerations
To support the outreach of the project’s knowledge, CSCP refined a hands-on method so that at each stage of an intervention design —from scoping to evaluation— food waste practitioners can assess whether a norm is relevant, how it operates, and how (or whether) to address it within broader interventions.
Capacity building at scale
Across seven lively sessions, over 125 professionals from cities, schools, and food-system organisations learned how to spot norms, decide if they’re leverage points, and integrate them into FLW strategies.
From insights to design exercises
In workshop settings (e.g., a school canteen scenario), participants approached norms such as “it’s okay to throw food away because it’s free.” Using the 8-step approach (which can be found here), they then co-designed possible responses, like making finishing meals socially valued, highlighting peer role models, or celebrating mindful eating as starting points for future testing, not as proven solutions.
Food waste isn’t only about systems and logistics—it’s also about what people around us expect and accept. By mainstreaming social-norm checks into intervention design, CHORIZO makes it easier for practitioners to decide when norms are pertinent and how to approach them responsibly alongside other measures (procurement, menu design, portioning, pricing, nudges, and communication).
Call to action
Are you an actor working in reducing food loss and waste? We invite you to use the 8-step approach as your framework for real-world trials and evaluation. Moreover, share your experience with others on what works (and what doesn’t) via the DataHub so that we can jointly build a robust evidence base
Chorizo was funded under the EU Horizon Programme and was implemented by the CSCP and a consortium of 13 European partners.
For additional questions on the CHORIZO project, please contact Lea Leimann.
*Eurostat 2025.
Imagine enjoying a juicy steak made without harming animals or cutting down forests. At this year’s ANUGA fair, the CSCP showed how European farmers and scientists are joining forces to make cultivated meat (meat grown from animal cells) an option for everyone’s plate, through an open and inclusive process that values diverse perspectives and considerations.
At ANUGA 2025 in Cologne, Germany the world’s largest trade fair for food innovation, the audience was invited to rethink what “meat” could mean in the future. Under the keynote title “Can You Imagine a Future Where This Is Possible?”, Alexander Mannweiler, Head of Sustainable Business and Entrepreneurship at the CSCP, presented insights from the Horizon Europe project FEASTS.
The presentation at ANUGA highlighted how cultivated meat and seafood could complement conventional and plant-based proteins to create a more resilient and sustainable food system.
In his keynote, Mannweiler also addressed the realities behind the hype: technical hurdles, high production costs, and the need for trust and transparency across the value chain. The FEASTS project is tackling these issues by engaging multiple stakeholders—from farmers to policymakers and consumers—to develop open data, transparent communication, and sustainable business models.
One striking example of this innovation is Respect Farms, a Dutch initiative that aims to design the world’s first cultured meat farm. By integrating cell-based production into existing agricultural systems, such approaches could enable farmers to diversify their businesses while significantly reducing land and water use.
The keynote concluded with a look ahead: cultivated meat will likely enter the market first through hybrid and ingredient-based products, with the long-term potential to become a complementary source of sustainable protein alongside traditional and plant-based foods. The transition will require continued collaboration between science, industry, and society to ensure that technological progress goes hand in hand with environmental and social sustainability.
In FEASTS, which is a Horizon Europe project, we are working together with 35 partners from research, innovation, and industry across Europe to build an unbiased knowledge base on the opportunities, challenges, and societal implications of these novel proteins.
Would you like to engage with us on this topic? Please reach out to Alexander Mannweiler!
Citizens across Europe are feeling the change due to higher energy bills and from more frequent heatwaves and floods. A faster shift to clean energy, produced locally where possible, can help lower bills over time, create local jobs, and help make communities healthier and more resilient.
To deliver on these needs, the EU has launched the Strategic Energy Technology (SET) Plan. But how can this plan become a true engine for change? That’s where the SETDEPLOY project comes in.
Launched in September 2025 in Gothenburg, Sweden, SETDEPLOY brings policy, industry, and research to the table to turn strategy into practical next steps.
The project is designed to make a difference by:
Improving decisions and faster through a user-friendly Decision-Making Toolbox that helps policymakers and practitioners compare options and choose what works best in their context.
Aligning plans with action by offering tailored monitoring and support so that national and regional priorities line up with the SET Plan. This way, effort and funding pull in the same direction.
Building capacity where it’s needed by conducting participatory workshops. The workshops will break down high-level goals into concrete action plans and milestones.
Keeping people at the centre: Led by the CSCP, stakeholder engagement will use proven methods like stakeholder personas and participatory visioning to capture diverse perspectives and translate them into real, usable outcomes.
By consolidating expertise and strengthening collaboration, SETDEPLOY aims to accelerate deployment of renewable fuels and bioenergy—helping Europe move toward climate neutrality faster and more effectively, while staying realistic about what it takes.
The project is funded by the Horizon Europe programme and is implemented by a consortium of organisations that include RISE, SINTEF, CIRCE, EUREC, ETA Florence and the CSCP.
For additional questions, please contact Joshua Aseto.
Photo by Jeroen van de Water on Unsplash
How can we build momentum and ignite action for a sustainable, circular bioeconomy through inclusive and solution-oriented stakeholder engagement formats? The CEE2ACT project has been running bioeconomy hubs in ten Central and Eastern European countries, which serve as collaborative platforms where policymakers, businesses, researchers, and civil society come together to shape bioeconomy strategies. Recent milestones, including an impact evaluation and contributions to the European Green Week 2025, highlight how engagement is driving action.
As the CEE2ACT project moves toward its conclusion in December 2025, successful stakeholder engagement is one of its achievements. Since its launch in 2022, the project has supported the establishment of National Bioeconomy Hubs (NBHs) across Central and Eastern Europe, facilitating collaboration between relevant actors and offering them a space to meet, share perspectives, and shape their countries’ bioeconomy strategies.
As a result of the bioeconomy hubs, Memorandas of Understanding (MoU) have been finalised or already signed in all participating countries, formalising collaboration among stakeholders. At the same time, all ten hubs are developing national bioeconomy roadmaps, a set of action plans that will guide the transition to a more sustainable and circular economy.
In August 2025 the impact evaluation of stakeholder engagement activities was submitted, a process led by the CSCP. As impact evaluators, we saw firsthand how the hubs helped actors collaborate in shaping the national bioeconomy strategies.
The insights and experiences of the bioeconomy hubs have also been brought into wider European discussions.
During the European Green Week 2025 in Brussels, Belgium, the CEE2ACT project was showcased as a best-practice example of how bioeconomy initiatives can unlock rural potential, strengthen national strategies, and contribute to European priorities.
The project is also highlighted for its direct contribution to shaping relevant EU policies in the field of bioeconomy.
The project consortium took part in the EU public consultation on the upcoming bioeconomy strategy, expected by the end of 2025, ensuring that perspectives from across Central and Eastern Europe are reflected in the new framework. By linking national engagement processes to European policymaking, the project reinforces the vital role of collaboration in advancing shared goals.
For more details about the CEE2ACT project and its work please visit the project website.
The CEE2ACT project is funded by the European Union’s Horizon Europe research programme and will run for three years (2022-2025), led by a consortium of 17 European partners.
For further questions, please contact Kartika Anggraeni.
How can cities translate climate goals into procurement practice? In the latest issue of the Kleine Kniffe magazine, we shared insights from our collaboration with the city of Dortmund, Germany showcasing how the city administration is systematically applying a climate factor in its public tenders supported by the CO₂ Performance Ladder.
Public procurement is increasingly seen as a lever for climate action. However, translating climate ambition into concrete procurement criteria remains a challenge. Many organisations, including city administrations, are left with questions such as how can sustainability be assessed fairly and efficiently in tenders or how can climate-friendly practices be rewarded without overburdening bidders or procurement teams?
In our latest article for the German procurement magazine Kleine Kniffe, we showcase how the city of Dortmund is addressing these questions by applying the CO₂ Performance Ladder with our support as national coordinator for Germany.
The article highlights Dortmund’s use of a structured “climate factor” as an award criterion in construction tenders. Since early 2025, bidders can receive up to 20% additional scoring if they demonstrate how their service or product reduces CO₂ emissions.
To ensure consistency and comparability, Dortmund accepts various forms of evidence within its climate factor, including environmental certifications, documentation of CO₂-reduction measures, and descriptions of sustainable practices relevant to the contract.
The CO₂ Performance Ladder is a recognised reference system, which enables organisations to demonstrate their level of climate ambition through independent certification. Organisations can certify at Step 1, 2 or 3 – ranging from internal CO₂ management and energy efficiency to long-term, value chain–oriented climate strategies aiming for net-zero emissions.
This approach provides a practical benefit for procurement authorities: instead of reviewing each sustainability statement individually, they can rely on standardised, audited documentation – making the process both manageable and credible.
In Germany, the CSCP coordinates the introduction of the CO₂ Performance Ladder and supports municipalities like Dortmund in putting it into practice. Currently, Dortmund is preparing an evaluation of the model to explore how it could be expanded to other sectors.
Since its introduction, the climate factor has been applied in 117 procurement procedures.
For further details, you can read the full article in the current edition of Kleine Kniffe.
For additional questions, please contact us co2pl@cscp.org.
What happens when three innovative hubs in Germany’s Bergisch City Triangle open their doors for a hands-on festival showcasing and celebrating the circular economy? Bold ideas come to life! Around 200 visitors joined our FAB Festival 2025, experiencing the circular economy firsthand through upcycling workshops, immersive nature activities, and meaningful networking.
Day One: Kick-off in Remscheid
The FAB Festival opened with an inspiring kick-off at the Gründerschmiede in Remscheid. Here, the circular economy met the start-up spirit: innovative projects and collaborations from the region were present and the day was filled with new ideas and lively discussions. Best practices from the project’s three lead markets of textiles, construction, and food were presented. Among the exhibitors were the furniture upcycling project by Picard + Birkenstock in collaboration with Lebenshilfe Remscheid, as well as Future Cleantech Architects.
A key highlight was Fabby, our AI-supported circular economy expert, sparking widespread curiosity and excitement. We were also happy to see that several mayoral candidates for the city of Remscheid showed up at the festival to experience circular economy in action and engage with the participants.
Day Two: Nature and Innovation in Wuppertal
On day two, Gut Einern in Wuppertal invited visitors to experience the circular economy in direct interaction with nature and technology. Visitors explored the vertical farm, the permaculture garden, and the digital learning bus. Maker-workshops, live podcasts, and interactive formats made the day an experience for the whole family.
Festival visitors had the chance to experience the surrounding fields, see the honeybees, and the stop by the textile workshop booth. There was plenty for children and adults to try out, including creating mini-ecosystems in jars or preparing delicious, homemade salad parcels with lettuce from the vertical farm.
Day Three: Hands-on sustainability in Solingen
On the last day, the Gläserne Werkstatt in Solingen opened its doors for a day full of creativity and sustainability. Visitors were able to experience the diversity of the circular economy: whether at the opening of GESA’s new second-hand pop-up store, the entertaining fashion challenge, the upcycling workshops with bicycle inner tubes, or the project gallery walk, the possibilities were countless. Crafts, fashion, and regional innovation complemented each other to create an inspiring overall experience.
Many of the visitors were impressed by the second-hand pop-up shop’s broad selection. Curious? If you’re in or around the Bergisch City Triangle region, feel free to drop by the store anytime — it’ll be open at the Gläserne Werkstatt through the end of 2025!
The FAB Festival concluded with a powerful message: with the right setting and hands-on opportunities, people in the region are eager to engage with circular economy solutions and embed them into their daily routines!
For further questions, please contact Nils Kreft.
Photos © Juliane Herrmann
Are your curious about algae and how they can be used to achieve greater sustainability? At our “Feel the Sea” exhibition as part of the Algae Awareness Summit 2025 held in Berlin, Germany participants explored different uses of algae, got to know algae innovators and most importantly were able to touch, taste, and feel algae!
As part of the AlgaeProBANOS project (co-funded under the EU’s Horizon programme), the CSCP Creative Communication team designed and hosted the algae experience exhibition—an interactive space where visitors could touch, taste, and feel algae. The exhibition set out to surprise, spark curiosity, and build connection to an organism that humans have used for at least 30,000 years.
From facts to connection
When communicating about sustainable solutions, like new applications of algae and its derivatives, it is important to also connect to people on an emotional level. There are countless facts and scientific findings about algae, but raising awareness and encouraging people to try a new product or process is often not enough. As Alessandra Portis, Communication Officer at the European Commission put it, the exhibition “made algae easy to get”.
A short history of a long partnership
This is why the exhibition starts with a dive into our shared human–algae history. Even seasoned experts at the 2nd EU Algae Awareness Summit were surprised by the many ways people have utilised algae: from bull kelp used as waterproof containers by indigenous peoples around the Pacific, to the production of alkali for glass, soap, and explosives from the 17th to early 20th century. We’ve also eaten algae for centuries—Spirulina harvested from lakes in regions such as Mexico and Chad as a high-protein food or laverbread as a nourishing Welsh staple for at least 800 years.
From pilot to product—made tangible
To make innovation concrete, we showcased the life-cycle stages of our AlgaeProBANOS pilot companies: algae species, intermediate materials, final product. Visitors could see (and in some cases taste) real algae products—making it clear what algae can become in everyday life.
Mapping a thriving ecosystem
At our Algae Innovator Board, over 50 innovators shared key facts about their solutions, offering a quick overview of the field and an easy way for participants to connect with relevant teams.
Where algae can move the needle
A rotating block installation highlighted eight promising impact areas for algae: climate, health, chemicals, food, textiles, agriculture, biomaterials, and beauty. School children who visited the exhibition particularly loved this interactive component. While there are many more applications for this “slimy jack of all trades”—as a German newspaper described it and as cited at the event by the German Minister of Agriculture, Alois Rainer—these eight focus areas help make the potential of algae more tangible.
Thanks to our “Share Your Thoughts” sculpture and the many conversations inspired by the exhibition, we received valuable feedback that will help us enhance the impact of the next algae experience exhibition. Stay tuned for updates on the project and the location of the upcoming “Feel the Sea” algae experience!
For further questions, please contact Nikola Berger.
How can citizen science enabled by digitalisation help transform the way we eat? With food systems contributing up to 37% of global emissions* and millions in Europe lacking access to healthy food, the newly-launched SPOON website aims to support the collection and sharing of relevant food data for decision-makers and other relevant actors, who work closely with communities on the topic of sustainable eating practices.
The website aims to support food decision-makers by helping them develop solutions informed by consumer realities and everyday practices, and to empower citizens by enabling them to make more informed choices about food.
In a time when climate shocks, food poverty and insecurity, and disrupted supply chains are testing the limits of global food systems, SPOON (Food Systems in Transition – Participatory, Open Citizen Research for Sustainable Nutrition) offers a new approach. The project empowers citizens to take part in reshaping our food environment, not just as consumers, but as co-creators of knowledge.
Led by the CSCP, SPOON brings together 16 partners across Europe and is funded by the Horizon Europe programme. Its aim: to promote healthy, sustainable diets by using digital tools, participatory research, and behavioural science.
“Understanding consumers’ local realities and designing solutions around them isn’t just smart, it’s essential for real impact. When we co-create with people, or build on the insights they share, our solutions become more relevant, more accepted, and more likely to succeed. Digital tools make this easier than ever.”, says Arlind Xhelili, Project Manager of SPOON.
“SPOON is all about putting people, their needs, experiences, and local contexts at the centre of change. By making their voices and data part of the innovation process, we connect food decision-makers directly with the communities on the ground. It’s a shift to building food systems that truly work for everyone,” concludes Xhelili.
The newly launched website offers insights into the project’s goals, updates from the six project pilot regions, and information on the innovative digital tools being developed.
Visitors to the website can learn how SPOON will:
Whether you’re a policymaker, a researcher, a local food actor, or a citizen passionate about sustainable living, there’s something for you at spoonproject.eu
Follow SPOON on social media to stay updated on project milestones, local events, and citizen engagement opportunities: LinkedIn | Instagram | YouTube.
For further information, please reach out to Arlind Xhelili.
*Crippa et al., 2021
Across Europe, cities and regions are tackling the same pressing questions: How do we measure circularity in a meaningful way? How do we make water cycles resilient to droughts and floods? How do we ensure that the circular transition benefits people, not just systems? How do we secure the critical raw materials our economies depend on?
No city has all the answers alone. Yet by working together, cities can turn common challenges into shared progress—building a more circular, resilient, and inclusive future for all.
That’s why the Circular Cities and Regions Initiative (CCRI) is launching four new Communities of Practice (CoPs), small, dedicated groups of frontrunner cities and regions that exchange openly, share what works (and what doesn’t), and co-create practical solutions.
Cities can apply to join the following CoPs:
What to expect?
Together with other cities and regions, you’ll be in the lead. Each CoP meets online regularly, and shapes the agenda, focus, and outcomes to solve the pressing challenges of the circular transitions. Bring your own project as a case, test ideas with your peers, and walk away with insights you can use immediately!
Why join?
Who can apply?
European local and regional authorities, their agencies, and publicly owned companies with hands-on experience in one of the four topics can apply until 17 October 2025!
Register now to be part of our CCRI Communities of Practice!
For further questions, please contact Luca E. Sander.