3 Questions on Circular Economy Future Skills with Cristina Fedato Cristina Fedato, Head of Sustainable Infrastructure, Products, and Services at the CSCP has a long experience in supporting cities to become more circular. In this short interview, she argues that circular change doesn’t happen through one lever alone. It’s how they work together that makes the difference. Why are cities uniquely positioned to accelerate the circular transition? Cities are where the circular transition becomes tangible. They shape the environment, manage infrastructure and public services, procure goods and services, and work directly with citizens and businesses. This gives them the opportunity to connect strategic ambitions with practical implementation. At the same time, no city can deliver the transition alone. Accelerating Circular Economy requires close collaboration between municipalities, businesses, academia, and regional, national and policymakers. Cities are uniquely positioned to bring these actors together, test new approaches and create demand for circular solutions. When successful approaches are shared and scaled, cities become powerful catalysts for transformation far beyond their own boundaries. Which lever for Circular Cities is currently the most underestimated? We often discuss individual levers such as financing, procurement, governance or advisory support in isolation. In reality, progress depends on how these levers work together. Even the best funding programme or procurement strategy will have limited impact if governance structures are fragmented or organisations lack the flexibility to experiment, learn and adapt. One of the most underestimated success factors is therefore the ability to connect these enabling conditions. More flexible structures, stronger partnerships and continuous knowledge exchange can help cities move beyond isolated pilot projects and accelerate implementation at scale and create long lasting results. Looking ahead to 2035, what would make you say: “We’ve truly made progress towards Circular Cities.”? By 2035, I hope to see that Circular Economy strategies and flagship projects have become the starting point rather than the end goal. Their success should be visible in the way circular principles are routinely, easily and concretely embedded in procurement, urban development, infrastructure planning and investment decisions. I would also hope to see stronger collaboration between cities, businesses and governments, with proven solutions being transferred and adapted rather than reinvented. If Circular Economy has become part of everyday municipal decision making and cities are systematically learning from one another, then we will have made real progress towards Circular Cities. In my personal vision for the future, I hope we reach a day when a child asks, “What does waste mean?” — and the answer is: “It’s something we had to deal with in the past.” For a comprehensive take on the role of cities in the circular transition, please see also this other Interview of Cristina Fedato. Mitmachen Cristina Fedato auf der Online-Konferenz der Circular Week 2026. Registrieren Sie sich hier lesen. um dir deinen Platz zu sichern! Um das vollständige Programm der Circular Week 2026 einzusehen, besuchen Sie bitte die eigene Seite. Bei allen weiteren Fragen wenden Sie sich bitte an Nils Kreft.