The Biodiversity Foundation of the The Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries, Food and Environment (MAPAMA) supports business initiatives that are committed to models and lines of business based on the circular economy, which contributes to the reduction of waste, reusing it as new resources.

Experts and entrepreneurs from this sector of activity participated today in the Emprendeverde Meeting: “Circular economy and green entrepreneurship”, organized by MAPAMA in Seville, through the Biodiversity Foundation, as a satellite event of the European Commission Green Week 2014 . With its celebration, the Biodiversity Foundation seeks to promote the potential of the circular economy, promote circular business models and stimulate entrepreneurship in this area.

This was stated by the director of the Biodiversity Foundation, Sonia Castañeda, at the opening of the meeting, in which she was accompanied by the Deputy Director General of Waste of MAPAMA, María José Delgado. In his speech, he pointed out that, given the limits of the linear system of our economic system (extraction, manufacture, use and disposal of waste), the circular economy “proposes a new model of society that uses and optimises stocks and flows of materials, energy and waste, with its objective being resource efficiency”.

Within the framework of the Europe 2020 strategy, which is committed to smart, sustainable and inclusive growth to generate growth and jobs, measures have been identified within the framework of the “A Europe that uses resources efficiently” initiative aimed at turning the EU into a circular economy based on a recycling society in order to reduce the production of waste and use it as resources.

Companies in the European Union could save around €480 billion annually in terms of annual GDP, between 3% and 4%, if they transition to a circular economy model, according to the Ellen MacArthur Foundation, dedicated to the study and analysis of this economy.

Within the framework of the meeting held today, Carlos Martínez, honorary president of the Foundation for the Circular Economy, participated as a guest expert, who assured that “in addition to its environmental benefits, this emerging activity is a creator of wealth and employment and allows a competitive advantage to be obtained”. During the meeting, various successful entrepreneurial initiatives in the circular economy were also presented.

The Emprendeverde Meetings are training and networking events aimed at entrepreneurs in the Red emprendeverde, the first platform specialising in green business aimed at entrepreneurs and investors in order to promote the creation and consolidation of companies or new lines of business in activities linked to the environment and channel investment towards sustainable economic activities.