As the first nation to develop a circular economy road map in 2016, Finland has had a head start in trying to develop an economy that’s based on reusing and regenerating materials and products. A lot can be learned from Finland’s experience so far, including challenges and gaps, Mongabay’s Mike DiGirolamo found in an episode of the Mongabay Explores podcast released in November 2024. During the episode, DiGirolamo spoke with nature and circular economy specialist Tim Forslund from the Finnish Innovation Fund (SITRA), which helped design Finland’s road map, about the shift from a “take-make-waste” mindset, or linear economy, toward a circular economy with a “reduce-reuse-recycle” focus. Forslund said the first phase of the road map was largely about getting as many people on board and convincing them that circularity makes business sense. To do this, Finland started with some pilot projects in the food and forestry sectors. Forslund said it was important to note that circular economy strategies depend on each country’s unique contexts. For Spain, for example, water is a key sector for circularity since it’s the most water-scarce area in Europe. Similarly, forestry is a key sector for circularity for Finland since about 75% of the country is forested, Forslund said. Under the road map, the various sectors are incentivized to reuse materials every step of the process. The circularity road map for the food sector, for instance, aims to “create a market for organic recycled nutrients, minimize food waste by eliminating barriers and creating incentives, support biogas systems and…This article was originally published on Mongabay

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