UNEP at WRF2021: Enhancing circularity in electronics value chain in Africa
As Programme Partner of the World Resources Forum 2021, UNEP will organise and host the online workshop “Enhancing circularity in electronics value chain in Africa”, as part of the circular economy conference track. In this short article, the workshop organisers tell us more about the context behind the session, what the workshop will be about and why you should attend it. Don’t miss it on the first day of WRF2021, October 12th, 16.30 – 17.20 CET!
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What is the UNEP’s project that serves as context for this workshop?
The United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) is the United Nations system’s designated entity for addressing environmental issues at the global and regional level. Its mandate is to coordinate the development of environmental policy consensus by keeping the global environment under review and bringing emerging issues to the attention of governments and the international community for action.
UNEP is supporting the government of Nigeria to implement a project entitled “Circular Economy approaches for the electronics sector in Nigeria”, funded by the Global Environment Facility (GEF). The key activities of the project include supporting the operationalisation of Nigeria’s Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) system, understanding best channels for the collection and recycling of end-of-life electrical and electronic appliances and their treatment cost, and developing circular economy approaches and best cases for the electronics sector in Nigeria and Africa. Under this project, the Nigerian government has gazetted a Guidance Document for the Implementation of the EPR Programme in 2020. A report on circular economy for electronics in Africa will also be published, which aims to provide a baseline analysis of the current state of the electronics sector in Africa, identifies development gaps and needs and provides timely recommendations targeting the main stakeholders in the electronics value chain on the continent.
What will your workshop be about and what goals does it have?
This workshop will bring together stakeholders from electronics sector, including government, producer and international organisations. It aims to share with international stakeholders the latest progress of the project, present the key findings from the report on circular economy for electronics in Africa and collect insights and share best practices/examples on circular economy for electronics.
What excites you about being a program partner of WRF2021?
WRF2021 would be a valuable platform for UNEP and the project team to raise the visibility of our activities on circular economy for electronics and exchange experience with relevant stakeholders. Through this event, we would like to bring the latest progress made under the GEF project on circular economy for electronics in Nigeria to the attention of international stakeholders, and hear views on the opportunities and challenges on circular economy approach for the electronics sector in Africa from different perspectives.
Finally, let’s conclude with a call for action. Why should participants attend your workshop and for whom would it be particularly interesting to attend?
International stakeholders having or planning to have projects in African countries on circular economy for electronics could learn from the experience to be shared by the participants of the event. There is also an opportunity to seek synergies with the project team on promoting circular economy approach in the electronics sector should there be any interest.
Useful links
- Learn more about the project “Circular Economy approaches for the electronics sector in Nigeria” here
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The World Resources Forum 2021 (WRF2021), under the theme of “A Green Deal for Sustainable Resources” will take place on October 12-14 in an innovative hybrid format: three days of online sessions and two small scale-events in Accra (Ghana) and Zürich (Switzerland). All the workshops, such as the one organised by UNEP, together with all scientific sessions and plenary sessions will take place online, in a dedicated virtual event platform. WRF2021 is co-hosted by the Ghanaian Ministry for Environment, Science, Technology and Innovation (MESTI) and the Swiss Federal Office for the Environment (FOEN/BAFU).
Don’t miss the opportunity to be part of this exciting session and learn from all the participants.
