At a time when environmental challenges and the scarcity of natural resources are intensifying, the city of Amsterdam is a pioneer in the circular economy. The first major metropolis to embark resolutely on this transition in 2015, the Dutch capital is now regarded as a world model in this field. A look back at the visionary and pragmatic path that led him to this status.
An ambitious strategy from 2015
Amsterdam laid the foundations for its circular transformation in 2015, by adopting a « Circular Economy Action Plan ». This ambitious roadmap set a clear objective: to make Amsterdam a 100% circular city by 2050, by massively reducing the use of new raw materials in its territory.
To achieve this, the municipality has identified seven priority sectors: construction, electrical equipment, office equipment, food waste, plastics, textiles and green waste. These are areas where the challenges of circularity are particularly acute.
The innovative « City Doughnut » model
But it was in 2020 that Amsterdam really put its circular strategy into practice, by adopting the innovative ‘City Doughnut‘ economic model developed by British economist Kate Raworth. This model aims to create a city that is both prosperous and respectful of the planet’s limits, by radically rethinking modes of production and consumption to make them more circular.
In concrete terms, Amsterdam’s City Doughnut defines a safe and sustainable space for all its inhabitants, guaranteeing access to essential needs such as housing, food, education and health. But without exceeding the planet’s ecological limits in terms of greenhouse gas emissions, pollution or use of resources.
A pragmatic « learning by doing » approach
But beyond theoretical models, Amsterdam has above all relied on a pragmatic « learning by doing » approach to make its circular transition a reality. As early as 2016, the city launched pilot programmes such as « Circular Amsterdam: Learn by Doing » to test and develop concrete circular economy initiatives in its area.
These experimental projects have made it possible to explore new circular economic models such as the functionality economy, re-use and industrial ecology. They were also an opportunity to involve all the players concerned, from citizens to businesses and public authorities.
One of the flagship projects has been the development of a digital platform for sharing and renting goods and equipment, enabling residents to access services rather than owning goods. This initiative is fully in line with the functional economy approach advocated by the circular model.
A global vision and monitoring tools
But beyond these pilot projects, Amsterdam has above all adopted a transversal strategic vision integrating the circular economy into all areas of urban life. Whether in construction, mobility, waste management or town and country planning, the principles of circularity are now systematically taken into account.
To steer this in-depth transformation, the city has also developed digital tools to monitor and measure the flow of materials across its territory. This data is then analysed to identify the sources of circularity and assess the impact of the initiatives implemented.
A global model for circular cities
Thanks to this visionary approach, which combines practical experimentation with strategic management tools, Amsterdam is now regarded as a global model for circular cities. Its ambitious roadmap and long-standing commitment to this approach make it a source of inspiration for many other cities around the world.
But over and above its exemplary nature, Amsterdam has also capitalised on its pioneering experience to develop genuine expertise in the field of the urban circular economy. This expertise is now being shared with other cities through cooperation and best practice exchange programmes.
While the transition to more circular and resilient cities is a major challenge, it also represents a unique opportunity to rethink our urban development models to make them more sustainable and environmentally friendly. An opportunity that more and more cities around the world are seizing, inspired by the pioneering example of Amsterdam.
To facilitate the circular transition in your city and make the most of your unused resources, discover CircularPlace: the platform dedicated to the circular economy! CircularPlace offers you various solutions for reusing, reselling or recycling your unsold goods, second-hand equipment and waste in a virtuous way.
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