The Circular Economy Information Ecosystem

Transitioning to a sustainable circular economy is one of the major social and political challenges of our time. Only by conserving natural resources can we achieve global climate protection goals and reduce environmental damage. In light of growing geopolitical tensions and conflicts, the circular economy makes a significant contribution to risk management and the resilience of an economy interconnected through global supply chains. Leveraging the digital transformation is a prerequisite for success in this regard. The foundation for this is being laid by the Circular Economy Information Ecosystem (CEIS).

The CEIS describes the interplay of all digital technologies, infrastructures, processes, institutions and individual stakeholders to enable a data-driven digital circular economy – including the necessary standards, rules and coordination mechanisms. It thus creates the conditions for linking physical material and product flows with the associated data flows, thereby supporting the implementation, expansion and regulation of the circular economy. Over the coming years, the CEIS must therefore be systematically established and continuously developed. The particular challenge lies in the strategic coordination of overarching policy frameworks, priorities and standards in conjunction with concrete practical initiatives for developing, piloting and scaling innovative solutions. This In Brief outlines five starting points for the necessary collaboration between government and business, with the involvement of academia and civil society.