The Future of Earth and Biodiversity Week
It Starts With Us: How Everyday Choices Build Circular Economies
European Union
The EU and Japan have both developed ambitious circular economy policies. While the EU aligns its efforts with the European Green Deal and climate neutrality goals, Japan emphasises resource circulation and minimising environmental impact. Both approaches value citizen engagement, though Japan’s is deeply rooted in cultural respect for resources and long-term use. Achieving circularity requires more than sustainable production: it demands changes in consumer behaviour. In sectors like textiles and electronics, fast fashion and planned obsolescence drive waste. Encouraging repair, reuse and responsible disposal is essential to closing the loop.
This panel and interactive session will explore how consumers can drive circular practices in everyday sectors such as electronics, textiles, plastics, packaging, furniture and food. Understanding behavioural barriers and enablers (from motivation and habits to infrastructure and incentives) is key to designing effective policies and business models. The session will highlight how governments, companies, cities and civil society can empower individuals to participate in a more circular future.
Recorded video available
Discussion
- Circular economy
| Transmission of simultaneous interpretation | To be determined |
|---|---|
| Language of interpretation | Japanese and English |
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Track Programme
- Time and
Date of
the event -
-
2025.09.23[Tue]
18:00 ～ 19:30
(Venue Open 17:45)
-
- Venue
- Pavilion
- Netherlands Pavilion
Programme details
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This panel and interactive session will explore how consumers can drive circular practices in everyday sectors such as electronics, textiles, plastics, packaging, furniture and food. Understanding behavioural barriers and enablers (from motivation and habits to infrastructure and incentives) is key to designing effective policies and business models. The session will highlight how governments, companies, cities and civil society can empower individuals to participate in a more circular future.
Reports
【Reflection】
The session examined how everyday consumer choices can drive circularity across electronics, textiles, plastics/packaging, furniture and food, linking behavioural barriers/enablers (motivation, habits, infrastructure, incentives) to policy and business-model design. It featured interactive exchanges among government, business, cities and civil society.
Key findings
Design for behaviour.
Circularity requires more than sustainable production; it needs repair, reuse and proper disposal to be easy and rewarding, combining value framing, habit shifts, enabling infrastructure and incentive design.
Sector-specific entry points.
For electronics/textiles: longer use and repair; for plastics/packaging: reusable options and less overpackaging; for food: use-it-up and easy sorting—each sector needs a tailored first step.
Partnerships matter.
Municipal infrastructure, corporate service design and civil-society engagement together lower participation costs and make benefits visible, enabling scale.
Conclusion
The session aligned stakeholders on behaviour-led design by sector and clarified how policies and business models can empower people to participate in a circular future.
【Post EXPO Initiatives】
Implementation focus
Translate insights into behaviour-centred programmes with sector-specific entry actions.
Priority actions
Map behaviours: assess current motivation, habits, infrastructure and incentives by sector (electronics, textiles, packaging, food).
Launch entry actions:
Electronics/textiles: offer repair options and clear service routes.
Plastics/packaging: introduce reusable formats, reduce overpackaging, and simplify sorting cues.
Food: design for use-it-up and improve collection flows.
Incentivise participation: test points/deposits for repair, reuse and proper take-back.
Educate & showcase: publish simple how-to guides and before/after metrics.
Co-create: run regular roundtables with cities, companies and NGOs to align KPIs and remove barriers.
Conclusion
Combining entry actions, incentives and co-creation can turn everyday choices into measurable circular outcomes.
Cast
Moderator
Rosa Strube
Head of Sustainable Lifestyles, CSCP
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Speakers
Claire Downey
CEO, Rediscovery Centre
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Yasuhiro Higashi
Osaki town Mayor
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Momona Otsuka
Chief Environmental Officer, Kamikatsu
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Alice Yamabe
Policy Researcher, Institute for Global Environmental Strategies (IGES)
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Maria Nikolopoulou
Member of Circular Economy Stakeholder Platform and EESC, European Economic and Social Committee (EESC)
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Einar Kleppe Holthe
CEO, Natural State
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Dounia Wone
Chief Impact Officer, Vestiaire Collective
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The Future of Earth and Biodiversity Week
It Starts With Us: How Everyday Choices Build Circular Economies
The EU and Japan have both developed ambitious circular economy policies. While the EU aligns its efforts with the European Green Deal and climate neutrality goals, Japan emphasises resource circulation and minimising environmental impact. Both approaches value citizen engagement, though Japan’s is deeply rooted in cultural respect for resources and long-term use. Achieving circularity requires more than sustainable production: it demands changes in consumer behaviour. In sectors like textiles and electronics, fast fashion and planned obsolescence drive waste. Encouraging repair, reuse and responsible disposal is essential to closing the loop.
This panel and interactive session will explore how consumers can drive circular practices in everyday sectors such as electronics, textiles, plastics, packaging, furniture and food. Understanding behavioural barriers and enablers (from motivation and habits to infrastructure and incentives) is key to designing effective policies and business models. The session will highlight how governments, companies, cities and civil society can empower individuals to participate in a more circular future.
-
2025.09.23[Tue]
18:00～19:30
(Venue Open 17:45)
- Pavilion
- * Programme times and content are subject to change. Any changes will be announced on this website and via the ticket booking system.
- * The schedule is subject to change depending on the organiser's circumstances.
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