The CSCP and the co-do! lab Support the City of Duisburg to Become a Circularity Frontrunner

Public transport, waste management, water and energy supply are all policies that impact citizens’ lives directly and fall under the responsibility of cities. So, what can cities do to unlock their potential and become Circular Economy pioneers in order to achieve greater sustainability and ensure a better life for their citizens in the long run? Which actors need to be involved and how can transformation be approached and implemented successfully?

The opportunities are many, from setting up the right infrastructure to engaging citizens and companies in an impactful way. The CSCP and the co-do lab collaborated with the city of Duisburg and municipal companies to kick-off several sustainability initiatives.

Together with the Wirtschaftsbetriebe Duisburg (WBD), the municipal waste company of the city, the CSCP has been engaged in several projects throughout 2023, kicking-off numerous Circular Economy transformation processes.

The CSCP supported the WBD in their initiative to transform the cities’ district Ruhrort into a leader in terms of sustainability. Many stakeholders are currently working towards the environmental neutrality of Duisburg Ruhrort under the banner of “UrbanZero”. For this cause, the WBD and the CSCP collaborated on addressing one of the key aspects: making the district zero waste.

Within the project, numerous local stakeholders, including civil society organisations, companies, and the city administration, were brought together to jointly develop a strategy for Duisburg Ruhrort en route to Zero Waste. A key aspect of this effort was exploring the role that WBD can play in the transition as well as initiating concrete pilot projects that contribute to the vision of zero waste. Some of the key results include the identification and initiation of 10 pilot projects, such as the establishment of a repair café and central collection points for recyclables as well as services such as environmental education services. Concrete next steps for the promising pilots have been defined and will be followed by the stakeholders in Duisburg, allowing for the transformation of Ruhrort to take place for and with the citizens.

With the newly founded network Circular Rhein.Ruhr, the CSCP together with the WBD and other stakeholders structured and kicked-off an initiative focusing on building connections between companies in Duisburg. In sectors such as the steel industry, constructions, or logistics, the network will look for ways to foster collaboration and boost circularity.

During September 2023, the official launch of the network brought together 80 stakeholders from the region. The event was based on the project work carried out by the CSCP and its partners. Ahead of the event, a survey amongst companies from Duisburg was conducted with results showing that collaboration was marked as the key ingredient for successful implementation of Circular Economy solutions.

The CSCP and the co-do lab are actively engaged in supporting cities to set the right frameworks and put in motion powerful collaborations that drive and scale circular solutions.

Would you like to engage with us in making cities Circular Economy frontrunners? Reach out to Philipp Ober!