About

About the event

The European Circular Economy Hotspot is an annual event, which has grown from a gathering first held in the Netherlands in 2016.

It is held in a different location every year, with each host region chosen for demonstrating international best practice and innovation in the development of a circular economy. Previous European hosts have included: Dublin, Bottrop, Catalonia, Belgium, Scotland, and Luxembourg.

What to expect

Circular Economy Hotspot Cymru 2024 is an opportunity to gain key insights from Wales on how we have put the wellbeing of future generations at the forefront of decision making and embarked on a journey to transition from an extractive use and dispose society to a more sustainable, circular one.

We will show how we’ve delivered landmark achievements, including being recognised as second best in the world for recycling. Understanding that there is much more to do, our circular economy strategy, Beyond Recycling, focuses on embedding circular economy practices in production, and on reducing consumption through an increased focus on reuse and repair and food waste prevention. This is the bedrock of Wales’ ambition to decarbonise and become a net-zero and zero-waste nation by 2050.

The conference will highlight the importance of circular principles and practices to achieve the UN Sustainable Development Goals and the collaborative, partnership-led approach we are taking towards meeting those goals.

Attendees will be encouraged to network widely across sectors and across borders, sharing ideas, learnings, and best practice to inspire the drive towards a circular future.