As of 7 December 2020, RIVM has become a knowledge partner of the international Platform for Accelerating the Circular Economy (PACE). This platform encourages businesses and governments to accelerate the transition to a circular economy. PACE was established in 2018 by the World Economic Forum and is based in The Hague. The Netherlands belongs to the group of international leaders when it comes to knowledge of the circular economy and RIVM can contribute as a knowledge partner.
PACE offers RIVM an opportunity to internationally showcase the work done in the Netherlands. The expertise of the RIVM is to see how this can be arranged as safe, healthy and sustainable as possible for people and nature. In collaboration with the other knowledge partners, insight is increasingly being acquired into which opportunities and challenges lie ahead and how these differ from each other regionally and globally.
Circular economy
Fewer products and raw materials are used in a circular economy. This can be achieved by avoiding and reducing their use. In addition, an assessment is made as to whether products can be used for a longer period of time before being thrown away. For example via extended guarantee periods and repairs. Finally, attention is focused on whether products can be recycled after disposal, so that they can be given a second life or even more lives.
PACE
PACE is the platform for global leaders and their organizations to accelerate the transition to a circular economy. PACE hosts projects that generate learning used by leaders for further decision making and investments. At the start of 2020, the PACE community consists of 75 public, private and civic executive leaders and over 200 members championing 18 tangible projects across the globe.
PACE was launched during the 2018 World Economic Forum Annual meeting to drive public-private action and collaboration on the circular economy. Since 2019 the World Resources Institute has been hosting the scale-up of PACE and establishing an Action Hub in The Hague.