2024-10-02
Economy, environment, employment - the perfect triad for the Circular Valley Forum
The state government of North Rhine-Westphalia is represented at the major meeting of the circular economy with all the ministries that matter in the circular economy. For one member of the cabinet, November 15 is a first.
NRW Minister of Economic Affairs Mona Neubaur at the Circular Valley Forum. Copyright: Jan Turek/Circular Valley
It is far more than just a slogan. The Circular Valley Initiative promised “Grow the Economy - Protect the Environment” when it was founded, and they are keeping their word. Through their efforts, the transformation from a linear to a circular economy is making decisive progress. This helps companies, the environment and the job market. This will be confirmed by three guests of honor at the Circular Valley Forum on November 15: NRW Minister of Economic Affairs Mona Neubaur, State Minister of Labor Karl-Josef Laumann and Viktor Haase, State Secretary in the NRW Ministry of the Environment, have confirmed their attendance.
NRW Minister of Labor Karl-Josef Laumann. Copyright: State of NRW / Ralph Sondermann
The intensive support from the state government is already a fine tradition: Deputy Minister-President Mona Neubaur became the patron of Circular Valley in 2022. Minister President Hendrik Wüst announced the first cross-border cooperation in the circular economy at the Circular Valley Forum in 2023. He signed a cooperation agreement with his Flemish colleague Jan Jambon for the chemical industry, battery recycling and building materials.
The Circular Valley Forum is the big meeting of the circular economy. More than 1,200 decision-makers will be present at the Historische Stadthalle Wuppertal. Federal Environment Minister Steffi Lemke and Sarah Ryglewski, the Minister of State in the Chancellery responsible for sustainability, will be coming from political Berlin. The business community will be represented by numerous board members and managing directors from DAX-listed companies and innovative SMEs. Prof. Raimund Bleischwitz, Director of the Leibnitz Centre for Tropical Marine Research, Prof. Dr. Laura Marie Edinger-Schon from the University of Hamburg and Prof. Dr. Henning Wilts from the Wuppertal Institute will be representing science.
They will all notice an important difference between the Circular Valley Forum and other meetings: The people who come together here know each other. They see each other regularly throughout the year, work together on projects in the circular economy and are happy to share their findings with others.
The agenda of the members of the state government fits in with this: for Economics Minister Mona Neubaur, the focus is on practical action. She said in the summer that the aim was not to contemplate problems, but to initiate concrete projects. The international start-ups that present their business models to a large audience at the Circular Valley Forum play an important role for her. “My aim is that the start-ups that have answers to questions that we perhaps don't even dare to ask yet are created here in North Rhine-Westphalia,” said Neubaur.
The Circular Valley Forum is the big meeting of the circular economy. More than 1,200 decision-makers will be present at the Historische Stadthalle Wuppertal. Federal Environment Minister Steffi Lemke and Sarah Ryglewski, the Minister of State in the Chancellery responsible for sustainability, will be coming from political Berlin. The business community will be represented by numerous board members and managing directors from DAX-listed companies and innovative SMEs. Prof. Raimund Bleischwitz, Director of the Leibnitz Centre for Tropical Marine Research, Prof. Dr. Laura Marie Edinger-Schon from the University of Hamburg and Prof. Dr. Henning Wilts from the Wuppertal Institute will be representing science.
They will all notice an important difference between the Circular Valley Forum and other meetings: The people who come together here know each other. They see each other regularly throughout the year, work together on projects in the circular economy and are happy to share their findings with others.
The agenda of the members of the state government fits in with this: for Economics Minister Mona Neubaur, the focus is on practical action. She said in the summer that the aim was not to contemplate problems, but to initiate concrete projects. The international start-ups that present their business models to a large audience at the Circular Valley Forum play an important role for her. “My aim is that the start-ups that have answers to questions that we perhaps don't even dare to ask yet are created here in North Rhine-Westphalia,” said Neubaur.
Viktor Haase's visit to the Circular Valley Demo Day. Copyright: Jan Turek/Circular Valley
On November 15, State Secretary Haase will kick off the discussion on logistics as a key enabler of the circular economy. Among others, the CEOs of the ports of Hamburg and Duisburg will be taking part in this round.
In his speech, Labor Minister Laumann will discuss the role of the chemical industry in the transformation - and will also be celebrating his premiere in Circular Valley. There is a good chance that he will understand his cabinet colleague Nathanael Liminski even better afterwards. Last year, he called the forum a place of “hands-on confidence”.
In his speech, Labor Minister Laumann will discuss the role of the chemical industry in the transformation - and will also be celebrating his premiere in Circular Valley. There is a good chance that he will understand his cabinet colleague Nathanael Liminski even better afterwards. Last year, he called the forum a place of “hands-on confidence”.
