The project ChemClimCircle is about policies for environmental issues in the Baltic Sea region. The project will focus on the integration of policies for chemicals, climate and circularity.
ChemClimCircle points out that some of today’s most pressing environmental challenges are related to chemicals, climate change and circularity. To combat climate change and move away from the use of hazardous chemicals, the project suggests that it is necessary to shift to a circular economy. Moreover, it argues that the three dimensions of sustainability – chemicals, climate and circularity – all too often are isolated from each other in existing policies. As a consequence, policies designed to improve one aspect may worsen another. For example, actions to reduce climate change may cause an increase in emissions of hazardous chemicals. ChemClimCircle therefore suggests that the countries in the Baltic Sea region must work to overcome the shortcomings of policy integration.
The project wants to raise the awareness of the urgent need to integrate chemicals, climate and circularity at all political levels and in the private sectors to avoid worsening one environmental threat by trying to solve another. For this purpose, the project will provide a set of “road maps” on methodological guidance for decision makers. Also, it will facilitate think tank seminars and develop policy recommendations. The activities also include a stakeholder mapping and an extended literature search/evaluation.