The need - Peterborough wants to become a circular city by 2050. Being able to track and measure progress has been an important component to achieve this ambition.
The solution - To develop quantitative measurements for circular economy inspired outcomes, Circular Peterborough turned to the existing Sustainable Cities and Communities ISO 37120 standard. This approach has allowed Peterborough to develop performance indicators that are generally already tracked by city administrators - thereby making best use of the city’s existing resources.
The outcomes - The programme has raised the city’s profile nationally and internationally, and in 2019 it hosted the Future Circular Cities Conference, building on recognition gained at the 2015 Smart City Awards and its inclusion in the World Economic Forum’s circular cities studies.
How does the initiative support the transition to a circular economy? - Circular Peterborough’s measurement framework is designed to support both businesses and the city as they track their progress towards a circular economy, with a view to achieving full circularity by 2050.
This case study belongs to the Ellen MacArthur Foundation’s Circular Economy in Cities suite of online resources, which acts as a reference point for urban policymakers on the circular economy. It draws out opportunities in three key urban systems - buildings, mobility, and products - and looks at how city governments can enable a circular economy transition.
Five modules aim to answer the critical questions on this topic:
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