Browsing: Elke Nijman

Can East Africa leapfrog to a circular economy?

In the past years, more research has been conducted about the alternatives of our current linear economy that is focused on ‘take-make-dispose’. A circular economy is an alternative model, that enables green growth and green industrialization by closing the loop of resources and by developing regenerative and circular systems. As stressed by Chatman House1, the circular economy has been mostly seen as a rich-country agenda.

However, the circular economy has enormous potential for lower and middle-income countries. Here are four reasons why circular economy supporters should focus on the (East) African region to unlock the potentials of the circular economy in Africa- and to leapfrog to a Circular Africa.

 African emerging economies as an opportunity to implement a circular economy

First of all, it is important to consider that developed countries might be stronger committed to a linear economy than lower and middle-income countries. The industrial revolution in …