Ministry of the Environment of Japan and World Business Council for Sustainable Development Collaborate in the Development of Global Circularity Protocol　

The Memorandum foresees strengthening collaboration on the development of the GCP led by the WBCSD and the One Planet Network (OPN). In addition, collaboration on the implementation of the Circular Economy and Resource Efficiency Principles (CEREP) endorsed by the G7 Leaders at the Hiroshima Summit in 2023 will give a further boost to maximizing complementarity between the CEREP and the GCP.

During COP28 (December 2023), the MOE Japan, the WBCSD, and the World Economic Forum jointly held a seminar, “Enhancing circular actions through ‘Circular Economy and Resource Efficiency Principles’ and ‘Global Circular Protocol,’” as a side event. In this seminar, participants discussed ways to facilitate the transition to a circular economy, focusing on disclosing circularity throughout supply chains, tackling such issues as mobilizing financing for circular businesses, and the complementarity and clear linkages between the CEREP and the GCP, including an accountability tool for businesses, and confirmed the importance of promoting the coordinated use of the CEREP and the GCP.
 
The Global Circularity Protocol was adopted at the Stockholm+50 meeting in 2022 as a joint initiative by the WBCSD and the One Planet Network. The GCP aims to accelerate the development and adoption of circular business models on a global scale through addressing policy and accountability gaps. The protocol intends to provide companies with a standard Corporate Performance Accountability System (CPAS) for Circularity, through harmonized circularity methodologies, accounting metrics for corporate-level circularity performance, and Science-Based Targets for Circularity, while also developing a policy framework to guide governments to implement policies and regulations that incentivize circular practices.

MATSUZAWA Yutaka, Vice-Minister for Global Environmental Affairs of the Ministry of the Environment, Japan, and Dominic Waughray, Executive Vice President of the World Business Council for Sustainable Development, attended the meeting during the UNEA 6 in Nairobi.
 
The Vice-Minister stressed that the government plays an important role in encouraging private companies to implement activities in line with the CEREP endorsed by the G7. He shared his expectation of enhancing the complementary effect between the CEREP and the GCP, promoting ESG investment through the Corporate Performance and Accountability System (CPAS) for circularity, providing MOE Japan’s policy and technical inputs, realizing a net-zero nature-positive economy through circular businesses enhanced by the CEREP.
 
The Executive Vice President expressed his appreciation for Japanese leadership shown in the adoption of the CEREP and other matters as well as expectation for information disclosure by WBCSD member companies and collaboration with the Japanese government and member companies.
 
The MOE Japan and the WBCSD have signed a document to foster collaboration in the development of the Global Circularity Protocol, including the comprehensive Corporate Performance and Accountability System (CPAS) for circularity. In addition to the collaboration on the development of the GCP, they will cooperate in mobilizing Japanese companies to participate in supporting GCP development, piloting and providing feedback, participating in relevant Committees, organizing joint sessions at international events, enhancing synergies and complementary roles between the CEREP and the GCP, and promoting both initiatives, among others.

• WBCSD: Announcement on the Global Circularity Protocol (GCP) 　　https://www.wbcsd.org/Pathways/Products-and-Materials/News/WBCSD-announces-the-launch-of-Global-Circularity-Protocol-to-accelerate-the-development-and-adoption-of-circular-business-models