In this article, one GP assigned for the third Policy Gap (Policy regulation on Circular Economy) is presented.
Policy Gaps 3 – Policy regulations on Circular Economy
Different aspects of CE appears unclear, incomplete, incoherent and disharmonised, especially on waste/by-products definitions, at different levels (local, regional, national European).
Contribution of RETRACE Good Practice:
Helping to establish favourable regulatory conditions at the local level, which can generate positive processes.
Good Practice Example: SEPA – Scottish Environment Protection Agency
SEPA is an environmental agency that advises business and industry on how to comprehend their environmental responsibilities. Moreover, SEPA helps citizenship to comply with policies and good practice and to promote awareness of the economic advantages coming from the environmental method. Moreover, the agency controls activities that can create harmful pollution with dangerous consequences on communities. Specifically, the goals of this GP concern to preserve, manage and improve Scotland’s water environment, air quality and waste management. SEPA strives to implement policy and operational advice to government, industry and the citizenship on pollution control and correlated environmental problems. This agency works to accomplish Scottish, UK and EU targets to address air pollution and contribute to tackle climate change. Lastly, SEPA safeguards the world’s natural resources striving in reduce the amount of waste produced.
The results achieved concern the reduction of the impact on flooding, the report on the quality of Scotland’s environment and the reduction of the greenhouse gas emission. Furthermore, the number of sector plans and sustainable growth agreements are increased. The approach of this GP gives more value to the bonds between research and new business areas that can potentialize the local outputs.
