The “Circular economy in rural regions” funding initiative of the Federal Ministry for Housing, Urban Development and Building (BMWSB) was launched in the context of a kick-off conference at Ernst-Reuter-Haus in Berlin, Germany.
During the conference, five model regions presented their approaches to advance the circular economy on site, focusing on cross-sector solutions in the areas of construction, industry, trade and commerce, economic development, education, and civil engagement. The BMWSB will support the model regions with a total of 1.1 million euros until 2027. The Federal Institute for Research on Building, Urban Affairs and Spatial Development (BBSR) implements the initiative for the BMWSB and supports the regions with its advice.
Circular economy means to make the best use of raw and other materials. They should be shared, reused, repaired, refurbished and recycled as long as possible. Dr. Peter Jakubowski, head of the “Spatial and Urban Development” department at the BBSR, emphasised: “The circular economy is a booster for rural development. It does not only protect the climate and the environment, but also strengthens the local economy and makes regions more attractive for skilled workers. This is why we want to draw the attention of districts and regional development actors to its potential, and help them use it for themselves.”
All regions follow different approaches, but have a holistic approach in common. The district of Bergstraße would like to implement measures in the construction and other sectors and therefore strengthen the competencies of small and medium-sized enterprises. The cradle-to-cradle strategy of the model regions of Goslar and Central Saxony takes ideas of initiatives, associations, start-ups and other civil society actors into account. In the district of Lüchow-Dannenberg, a coordination and networking office for circular economy is being set up as part of economic development. A joint project of the districts of Traunstein and Berchtesgadener Land, among other things, aims to establish education offers in vocational schools, further education centres and in the subject areas of Rosenheim Technical University of Applied Sciences at Campus Chiemgau.
The project also involves project partners from other European countries to share knowledge across borders. The BMWSB supports the model regions with funds from the Region gestalten programme, by which the BMWSB supports projects in rural areas in cooperation with the Federal Institute for Research on Building, Urban Affairs and Spatial Development (BBSR).
The initiative is part of the “Circular Rural Regions” pilot action to implement the Territorial Agenda 2030. The latter document has been serving as a guideline to the European spatial planning policy since 2020 and aims to achieve an equal social, economic and ecological development of the regions in Europe with circular economy playing an important role here.
Further information is available here.