The Nordic Embassies in the Philippines recently signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Pasig City to support the local government’s transition to a circular economy.

Danish Ambassador Franz-Michael Mellbin, Finnish Ambassador Saija Nurminen, Norwegian Ambassador Christian Halaas Lyster, and Swedish Ambassador Harald Fries signed the agreement with Pasig City Mayor Vico Sotto at a ceremony at the Danish Residence.

The agreement is part of a joint initiative of the Nordic Embassies on circular economy, implemented until 2025 with support from the Nordic Council of Ministers.

The project will focus on bridging Nordic knowledge and technologies with Pasig City’s local context, driving social and behavioral change within communities, and mainstreaming gender and inclusivity in the city government’s circular economy programs.

Witnesses to the signing ceremony included Nordic and Filipino partners with expertise in supporting the project’s interventions.

The Nordic Embassies recognize Pasig City’s ongoing circularity initiatives, including the establishment of an Innovation for Circular Economy Hub and the implementation of Garbage Collection by Administration.

The Nordic region is known for its innovative circular economy solutions. The Embassies of Denmark, Finland, Norway and Sweden have led collaborative efforts in promoting sustainability across various sectors in the Philippines.

While certain aspects of circular economy have long been part of Filipino culture, the Nordic project aims to contribute to a more integrated and whole-of-society understanding of circularity.

The European Parliamentary Research Service defines a circular economy as “an economic model based on sharing, leasing, reuse, repair, refurbishment, and recycling, in an (almost) closed loop, which aims to retain the highest utility and value of products, components and materials at all times.”