Members

The Latin American and Caribbean Circular Economy Coalition aims to provide a regional platform to enhance inter-ministerial, multi-sector and multi-stakeholder cooperation, increase knowledge and understanding of the circular economy, provide capacity building and assistance Technique for the development of public policies for the circular economy and sustainable consumption and production.

The Coalition is an open platform. Any interested institution, organization, NGO and government can join as a member of the Coalition based on their interest or their activities and scope in the circular economy. This participation is voluntary and does not represent any legal commitment, nor does it require a membership fee.

join the action

The objective of the Coalition is to put the Circular Economy into practice in the region. For this, priority areas have been identified and the corresponding working groups have been created. By joining the Coalition, we invite you to join a working group and take action.

Work groups

Food and Agriculture
Cities and Construction
Electronics
Metrics and Tools
Plastics
Industrial Symbiosis
Tourism

Membership Types

The Circular Economy Coalition was officially launched on February 1, 2021 during the XXII Meeting of the Forum of Ministers of the Environment of Latin America and the Caribbean. In this Forum, all the Governments of the Region adopted the Decision “Sustainable Consumption and Production and Circular Economy – Key Drivers for Post-COVID-19 Sustainable Recovery” which recognizes the establishment of the Circular Economy Coalition of Latin America and the Caribbean. All countries in the region are invited to join the Coalition and to designate their National Focal Points (NFPs) and Alternate Focal Points.

Benefits

  • Access first-hand knowledge and support to become a leading country driving the transition to a circular economy in the region
  • Disseminate national and subnational circular economy initiatives on regional and global platforms, increasing visibility and leadership
  • Share and receive information and gain knowledge about regional and national initiatives and projects
  • Contribute to political frameworks that generate synergies at the national and regional level and contribute to the consultation processes on the circular economy
  • Access specialized technical assistance and international cooperation
  • Participate in capacity building initiatives

Role of National Focal Points

The role of the National Focal Points (and their substitutes) consists in

  • contribute and support the activities of the Coalition
  • share information about their national CE activities with the Steering Committee and other members of the Coalition
  • share information about the circular economy and the work of the Coalition with different ministries, local governments and stakeholders within your country.

All NFPs are invited to actively participate in the Coalition’s sectoral working groups, activities and events.

Non-governmental organisations, research institutes, academia, intergovernmental organisations, regional and international organisations, development banks and UN agencies can become Coalition affiliate organizations and initiatives. They must meet the following criteria:

a) The entity has never violated the sanctions established by the UN Security Council;
b) The entity works against corruption in all its forms, including extortion and bribery;
c) The entity has publicly available audited financial statements that show sound financial management;
d) The entity respects the protection of internationally proclaimed human rights; and makes sure it is not complicit in human rights abuses;
e) The entity undertakes initiatives to promote greater environmental responsibility and is committed to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs);
f) The entity is committed and has proven relevant experience around the circular economy
[1] The Coalition Coordinator may, at his or her own discretion, and in consultation with the Steering Committee, exclude any Affiliated Organizations and Initiatives in case of non-compliance with UN values ​​or in case of exposure to reputational risk. In this case, the member will be informed of the Coalition’s decision, and their name will be removed from the Coalition’s website.

Benefits

  • Access technical support and first-hand knowledge in key areas to support the transition to a circular economy in the region
  • Become part of a broad network of stakeholders to increase the visibility and reach of ongoing initiatives and find implementation partners for scaling up
  • Access information, resources, tools or materials specific to the regional context to support a more specific and adapted project implementation
  • Contribute to ongoing circular economy discourse and policy frameworks that harness synergies at national and regional levels
  • Access specialized support from network partners
  • Participate in capacity building initiatives

Role of affiliated Organizations and Initiatives

Affiliated organizations and initiatives

  • provide technical, in-kind (expert services, venue, communication and outreach efforts, etc.) or financial support to the Coalition, and
  • collaborate on joint activities, training, events, projects and/or other initiatives, at the regional or national level, to support the implementation of the Coalition’s work plan and
  • participate actively in at least one sectoral working group
The private sector, referring to companies, small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), business associations and chambers of commerce, among others, can become allies of the Coalition. They must meet the criteria listed above. In addition, they must also meet the following specific criteria: Comply with the Ten Principles of the United Nations Global Compact in the case of large companies or be aligned with these principles in the case of SMEs Be committed to advancing the circular economy in their industry and value chain, through initiatives underway (or in the process of doing so) that pilot and implement a circular economy approach or integrate circularity into their business model (both for large companies and SMEs) Have publicly accessible information on their commitments and objectives to move towards a circular economy (for both large companies and SMEs)

Benefits

  • Pioneering innovative projects and initiatives that put the circular economy into practice in the region
  • Access to alliances and a wide range of stakeholders to share and replicate best practices and emerging solutions
  • Increased visibility and reach of ongoing initiatives and finding partners for implementation
  • Participation in public-private dialogues on framework conditions including financing mechanisms for the circular economy
  • Access to information, resources, tools or materials specific to the regional context to support better targeted and adapted project implementation
  • Access to specialized support from network partners
  • Capacity development

Role of Private Sector Allies

  • Contribute to and support Coalition projects or initiatives and actively participate in at least one of the Coalition’s thematic working groups
  • Contribute in-kind (expert services, venue, communication and outreach efforts, etc.) and/or funding or co-funding
  • Contribute own projects and initiatives aligned with the objectives and work plan of the Coalition
Countries, multilateral and bilateral cooperation agencies, development banks and financial institutions can become Coalition donors and support the implementation of the work plan through financial contributions and/or joint efforts to mobilize resources.

Benefits

  • Accelerate the transition towards a Circular Economy in Latin America and the Caribbean, and thus promote the achievement of the 2030 Agenda and the Paris Agreement
  • Be part of a wide network of actors from governments, the private sector, institutions, NGOs, intergovernmental and international and regional organizations that work in circular economy
  • Greater coordination and synergies, as well as greater impact and effectiveness of projects and programs
  • Exchange of information, resources, tools or materials specific to the regional context to support more specific actions adapted to the regional context

Donor as Affiliated Organizations and Initiatives

Donors may choose to become involved in the same way as affiliated organizations and initiatives and
  • offer technical, in-kind (expert services, venue, communication and outreach efforts, etc.), and financial support to the Coalition,
  • collaborate in joint activities, training, events, projects and/or other initiatives, at the regional or national level, to support the implementation of the Coalition’s work plan
  • actively participate in at least one sectoral working group

How to be part of the Coalition?

To join the coalition, the interested party must fill out the application form below and attach a endorsement letter from their legal representative, CEO or regional representative or national.
If you wish, please use the attached template.
The members of the Steering Committee will evaluate the applications and approve or reject them, based on the criteria mentioned above. The admission of new members will take place every quarter. Upon approval, additional information regarding communication and logo usage, among others, will be sent and members will be listed on the Coalition website.
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All countries in the region are invited to join the Coalition and nominate their National Focal Points (NFPs) and Alternate Focal Points. This nomination can be sent by means of an official letter addressed to the Regional Director and UNEP Representative for the Latin America and the Caribbean Office and sent to unep-rolac-regionaldirector@un.org. As the work of the Circular Economy Coalition is closely linked to the sustainable consumption and production (SCP) agenda, countries are invited to consider having their current SCP National Focal Points also serve as the NFP to the Circular Economy Coalition. Circular; Or, they could nominate another representative(s) and substitute(s). Likewise, taking into account that the circular economy requires a systemic and multisectoral approach, it requires the participation and cooperation of different ministries; therefore, the nominations for NFPs and alternates could be from the same or different ministries, and from subnational and local governments committed to and leading the national circular economy agenda.