The UK Government has announced the members of the new Circular Economy Taskforce, which will support them in creating a circular economy strategy for England.
The Circular Economy Taskforce is an independent advisory group comprising experts and leaders from various sectors.
The members of the Circular Economy Taskforce are :
- Andrew Morlet (Chair), Former Chief Executive Officer, Ellen MacArthur Foundation
- Professor Paul Ekins (Deputy Chair), Professor of Resources and Environmental Policy, University College London
- Jack Barrie, Circular Economy Senior Research Fellow, Royal Institute for International Affairs (Chatham House) UK
- Natasha Boulding, Founder and Chief Executive Officer, Low Carbon Materials
- Colin Church, Chief Executive, Institute of Materials, Minerals and Mining (IOM3)
- Catherine Conway, Director & Reuse Lead, GoUnpackaged
- Andrew Dove, Professor of Sustainable Polymer Chemistry, Birmingham University; Co-founder and Chief Scientific Officer, 4D Biomaterials Ltd
- Debbie Fletcher, Director – Climate, Zero Waste Team, Local Partnerships
- Shak Gohir, Strategic Programmes Officer, CPI
- David Greenfield, Founder and Managing Director, Social, Environmental & Economic Solutions (SOENECS) Ltd; The Chartered Institution of Wastes Management (CIWM) Vice President
- Stuart Hayward-Higham, Chief Technical Development and Innovation Officer, SUEZ
- Professor Peter Hopkinson, Professor of Circular Economy and Co-Director, Exeter Centre for Circular Economy (ECCE); Academic Director for Partnership, Ellen MacArthur Foundation
- Wayne Hubbard, Chief Executive Officer, ReLondon
- Keith James, Head of Policy and Insights, WRAP; UKRI National Interdisciplinary Circular Economy Research (NICER) Strategic Advisory Group
- Hans Jensen and Chris Newsome (shared seat), Directors, UKWP
- Dr Greg Lavery, Founder and Chief Executive Officer, Rype Office
- Libby Peake, Head of Resource Policy, Green Alliance
- Phil Purnell, Deputy Head of School (Civil Engineering), Leeds University
- Charlotte Williams, Statutory Chair in Inorganic Chemistry, University of Oxford; Founder and Chief Scientific Officer, Econic Technologies
The taskforce’s key objectives are to identify and assess mechanisms that can underpin a Circular Economy Strategy for England.
The UK Government said the strategy will drive economic growth by stimulating investment in technologies, sectors and infrastructure that enable resource circularity.
Other aims of the strategy are to create jobs across the circular economy, bolster the security of supply chains, increase resource efficiency and productivity, reduce emissions, and accelerate the transition to net zero.
Finally, the government said the strategy will support the delivery of its Industrial Strategy and Carbon Budget Delivery Plan.
The taskforce plans to complete week within 12 months
The Taskforce will report to the Circular Economy Small Ministerial Group, a cross-departmental group of ministers from:
- Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs (Defra)
- Department for Business and Trade (DBT)
- Department for Energy Security and Net Zero
- Department for Transport
- HM Treasury
- Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government
In phase one, between October 2024 and January 2025, the Taskforce plan to produce early recommendations that may require new funding.
They will also develop agreed definitions and objectives for a circular economy transition in England, and indicative metrics for measuring circularity and targets.
In phase two, between January 2025 and October 2025, the Taskforce plan to outline the interventions required to deliver a circular transition in England over the next 10 years and beyond.
They will also establish final metrics for measuring circularity and targets, a final prioritisation of sectors for intervention, and policy recommendations across all of the prioritised sectors.
