Western Balkans on the Circular Economy Journey: The first steps were made

The Western Balkans have been going through a transition phase towards a more sustainable economy. The region has long been known for its abundant natural resources, which have been traditionally exploited without much consideration for environmental impact. However, as the global demand for resources continues to grow, so does the need to adopt circular economy principles - also in the Western Balkans.

Workshop for representatives of cities and towns on circular economy transition revealed two key challenges.

Recently, the founder of the Institute of Circular Economy, Ladeja Godina Košir, spent two days in Serbia, where she co-created interactive workshops on circular economy for representatives of local towns and cities. The workshops aimed to start a conversation about the challenges and opportunities of Serbia's transition towards a circular economy.

Participants identified two key challenges: waste management and energy efficiency. Serbia has already developed a circular economy roadmap, which our Circular Change team helped to create.

Transitioning to a circular economy requires a collaboration of all stakeholders.

Now, it is essential to recognize that the transition toward a circular economy will require a collaborative effort from all stakeholders. The private sector, government, and civil society need to come together to address the identified challenges and work toward achieving the circular economy's principles.

The workshop that brought together stakeholders from towns and cities was therefore a great first step in undertaking the Serbian Circular Economy Roadmap.