Circular economy on the agenda at COP31

Portrait photo of Carsten Schneider

According to Euwid, the circular economy was also a key focus during the interim negotiations for the COP31 World Climate Conference.


As part of the interim negotiations for COP31 in Bonn, where preparations were made for the next World Climate Conference in Antalya, Turkey, in November 2026, Euwid reports – citing a statement from the Federal Ministry for the Environment (BMUKN) – that, alongside discussions on climate targets, important signals were sent not only regarding global electrification but also concerning the circular economy. An “Action Agenda” presented in Bonn for COP31 comprises, according to Euwid, ten priorities, including not only electrification and the circular economy but also energy efficiency and industrial transformation. According to Euwid, a specific proposal from Turkey – which is taking over the presidency for this year’s negotiations – was to increase the global share of electricity in final energy consumption from around 20 per cent to 35 per cent by 2035, thereby driving forward the international energy transition. Other key areas of the interim negotiations included work programmes for implementing the Paris Agreement, national climate targets and adaptation measures, as well as the financing of climate adaptation measures.
 
Federal Environment Minister Carsten Schneider (SPD) views COP31 as a summit at which “decisions could turn into investments, targets into concrete projects, and political commitments into measurable progress”. Schneider is confident that the “collective experience with the Strait of Hormuz” and the resulting price shock for fossil fuels will make a decisive difference. The Action Agenda presented by Turkey provides important impetus to accelerate the implementation of climate-friendly solutions worldwide and helps to rally states, companies and investors behind common transformation goals, explained State Secretary for the Environment Jochen Flasbarth, who also took part in the interim negotiations for this year’s World Climate Conference, COP31, in Bonn. The proposal by Turkey’s Environment Minister Murat Kurum to increase the global share of electricity in final energy consumption sends an important signal for the international energy transition, said Flasbarth.
 
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