Registration & Coffee

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Salon Restrepo

PLENARY: WHAT BENEFITS DOES THE CIRCULAR ECONOMY BRING TO THE AMERICAS?

A key question to be answered during CEFA2017 is What benefits does the Circular Economy bring to the American Continent? This is a very relevant question as it enables the region to start reflecting about the opportunities that exist for improved livelihoods in communities across the region, contribute to the sustainable development goals, building economic resilience, and address other pressing needs by adopting and applying the Circular Economy principles.

In this session speakers from the American Continent will share their perspectives of what types of benefits Circular Economic thinking can bring about to the nations and communities in the Americas.

Moderator:

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Alejandro Alvarez-Vanegas

Professor, Industrial Ecology, and Circular Economy

EAFIT University

Colombia

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High-Level Speakers:

Beatriz Luz 

Founder

Exchange4Change global knowledge transfer network dedicated to Brazil

Brazil

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Cletus Springer

Director, Sustainable Development

Organization of American States 

St. Lucia

Dr. Keron Niles

Lecturer, Sustainable Green Economy Transition

Institute of International Relations at the University of the West Indies

Trinidad and Tobago

Dario Soto Abril - TBC

CEO

Fair Trade International

Colombia

TBD

MINCIT

Colombia

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Rapporteur:

Ricardo Weigend

Circular Economy Business Developer

ECOR

Mexico

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Patio de las Azaleas

COFFEE BREAK & VISIT CEFA2017 INNOVATION SQUARE

At CEFA2017 a wide variety of entrepreneurs, researchers, educators, product manufacturers, and service providers contributing with the local, regional, and international transition toward circular economies are gathered at CEFA2017 Innovation Square. Visit the stands and get the know the people behind the innovative circular economy solutions and establish partnerships to engage in local, city, municipal, national, or regional activities and contribute to building a Circular Conscious Continent. 

Salon Restrepo

PANEL DISCUSSION 1: CIRCULAR ECONOMY BUSINESS OPPORTUNITIES IN THE AMERICAS

Learning and exchanging with international colleagues is an enriching experience. As more knowledge is accumulated there is also an increased awareness that application of Circular Economy in the Americas is not as straightforward. This leads to new questions, such as how to understand and apply circular economic thinking in the context of the Americas?

This session is dedicated to finding ways to adapting the circular economy principles to the reality, opportunities, and needs of the region.

Moderator:

Lea Gejer

Director at Flock and co-creator at Ideia Circular

​Official representative of EPEA GmbH

Brazil

Speakers:

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Sergio Zuluaga 

Founder and Managing Partner

Simplicity

Colombia

Petar Ostojic 

General Manager, CEO, Neptuno Pumps

Founder and Executive Director of the Center for Innovation and Circular Economy – CIEC

Chile

Ignasi Cubinas

Founder and Director

Eco Intelligent Growth 

Spain

Adrian Velasco

Project Director

Grupo Escato

Mexico

Weber Amaral

Partner

Venture Partners do Brasil

Brazil

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Rapporteur:

Paulina Criollo Alvarez

Industrial Ecology Consultant

Evolution Engineering

Ecuador

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Salon Humbolt #1 / Mutis #1

PANEL DISCUSSION 2: THE ROLE OF GOVERNMENT, PRIVATE SECTOR, AND ACADEMIA IN THE TRANSITION TO A CIRCULAR ECONOMIES IN THE AMERICAS

Partnerships are critical to realizing the transition toward circular economies in the Americas. Cooperation and continuous exchange of knowledge and best practices is essential for a collective action and the change in mind-set that is needed.

In this session the panel will discuss what the role of the government, the private sector and the academia should be to trigger concerted action and achieve measurable progress over time.   

Moderator:

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Daniel Gomez 

Founder and Director

Circular Economy Hub of Colombia

Colombia

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Speakers:

Dr. Albina Ruiz Rios

Founder and President

Ciudad Saludable

Peru

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Lorena Garcia Caicedo

Program Manager, ASDF

Circular Economy Platform of the Americas

Colombia

Federico Apestegui Guardia - TBC

Innovation Officer

Smith MacArthur Circular Economy Fellow

Mesoamerica Investments

Costa Rica

Rafael Alejandro Jurado - TBC

Co-Founder

La Ciudad Possible – The Possible City

Argentina

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Rapporteur:

Dr. Keron Niles

Lecturer, Sustainable Green Economy Transition

Institute of International Relations at the University of the West Indies

Trinidad and Tobago

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ORGANIZED AND HOSTED by: Ruta N

 Salon Humbolt #2 / Mutis #2

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PANEL DISCUSSION 3: ROADMAPING CIRCULAR CITIES

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More than 70% of the regional population lives in Cities and Urban areas along rivers systems or coastal zones. Projections indicate that the urbanization process will continue and lead to ever larger cities and more densely populated urban areas.

This session is dedicated to facilitating the exchange and discussion between circular economy experts and mayors of different cities to explore ways of how circular economic thinking can help improve planning and identification of sustainable solutions for energy, water, transportation, and other needs for the cities of the future.

Moderator:

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Paola Pollmeier

Coordinator Open Innovation

Ruta N

Colombia

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Panelists:

TBD

Patio SURA

LUNCH AND NETWORKING

One of the core objectives of CEFA2017 is to enable networking and new partnerships for Circular Economy action in the region. CEFA2017 is hosted at the beautiful Botanical Gardens of Medellin, the City of Eternal Spring. This venue serves as a perfect environment to relax, get inspired, and have a good time while getting to know new people and talk business. Please make sure you use one of the designated meeting points and routes in the park and take a walk, enjoy the fresh air, break the ice, and make new friends and strategic partners. 

Salon Restrepo

PANEL DISCUSSION 1: ENABLING CIRCULAR ECONOMY DEVELOPMENT IN THE AMERICAS

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Realizing a transition toward Circular Economies is not an easy task. Next to investing in the creation of awareness and building knowledge to make the mind-shift, there are several other aspects that require change in our modern society.

This panel will explore and identify the critical barriers and changes needed to create the enabling environment for the increased adoption and development of Circular Economy solutions in the American Continent. 

Moderator:

Sandra Liliana Palacios Velez

School of Management

EAFIT University

Colombia

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Panelists:

Alexandre Gobbo Fernandes

Senior Circular Economy Specialist

Fernandes & Rossetto Consultores

Brazil

Juana Camacho-Otero

Founder of Circular Innovation

Colombia

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Jose Alejandro Martinez

Director of Sustainability Department

Institute for sustainable entrepreneurship

EAN University

Colombia

Ron Gonen - TBC

Closed Loop Fund

United States

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Alan Knight 

General Manager, Corporate Responsibility 

ArcelorMittal

United Kingdom

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Rapporteur:

Petar Ostojic 

General Manager, CEO, Neptuno Pumps

Founder and Executive Director of the Center for Innovation and Circular Economy – CIEC

Chile

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ORGANIZED and HOSTED by: Inter-American Development Bank

Salon Humbolt #1 / Mutis #1

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PANEL DISCUSSION 2: CIRCULAR ECONOMY IN SMALL ISLAND STATES

The location, scale, and existing conditions determine to a great extend a communities’ readiness to adopt circular economic thinking and implementation. In island states, the introduction and development of solutions and tools compatible with circular economy principles require a completely different starting point and perspective compared to larger nations.

This session is dedicated to understanding how circular economic thinking can be applied in the context of small island states and whether service based economies (e.g. tourism, banking, and e-commerce) can effectively benefit of adoption of circular economy principles. 

Moderator:

Gerard Alleng

Climate Change Senior Specialist

Climate Change and Sustainable Development

Inter-American Development Bank

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Panelists:

TBD

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Salon Humbolt #2 / Mutis #2

PANEL DISCUSSION 3: BUILDING CIRCULAR ECONOMY AWARENESS AND CAPACITY IN THE AMERICAS

Awareness and knowledge are the fundamental pillars for realizing paradigm shifts as required for realizing a global circular economy. Building the right type of knowledge and awareness is becoming increasingly important to guarantee the integrity of the principles of the Circular Economy.

This session is dedicated to discussing what type of changes are needed in the education system and in the research field to make sure there is a collective and coherent understanding of what Circular Economy is and to start preparing a new generation of experts with a mind-set compatible with the Circular Economy principles. 

Moderator:

Jully Andrea-Herrera

Lecturer and Circular Economy Researcher

Jorge Tadeo Lozano University

Colombia

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Panelists:

Oliver Campero Rivero

Professor and Researcher

Development Technologies 

Universidad Catolica Boliviana

Bolivia

Ruben Contreras-Lisperguer

Senior Circular Economy and Energy Researcher

UN ECLAC

Chile

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Paulina Criollo Álvarez

Industrial Ecology Consultant

Evolution Engineering

Ecuador

Marcela Godoy

President

Sustainable Circular Consumers Association (AdC Circular)

Chile

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Rapporteur:

Bibiana Serna

Project Manager

OAS Sustainable Development Department

Colombia

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MID-DAY SNACK & VISIT CEFA2017 PICTURES GALARY

CEFA2017 is proud to launch the CEFA Pictures Award. Enjoy your snack while walking by the picture gallery where circular economy is visualized through a camera lens. This picture competition is organized to incentivize and inspire young and old to capture moments and situations that best show a positive intent to making our world more circular and sustainable. During the CEFA2017 closing ceremony the winner of the CEFA Picture Awards will be announced and the recognition handed out by the CEFA2017 Ambassador.     

Salon Restrepo

PLENARY: HOW DOES CIRCULAR ECONOMY BENEFIT THE AMERICAN CONTINENT?

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Wrapping up the second and last day of CEFA2017, during this concluding plenary session the rapporteurs of today’s plenary sessions and discussion panels will present the outcomes and main conclusions that help answer the question How does the Circular Economy benefit the American Continent?

Moderator:

Adriana Alzate

Director, Business Development

National Cleaner Production Center of Colombia

Colombia

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Rapporteurs:

Ricardo Weigend

Circular Economy Business Developer

ECOR

Mexico

Dr. Keron Niles

Lecturer, Sustainable Green Economy Transition

Institute of International Relations at the University of the West Indies

Trinidad and Tobago

Petar Ostojic 

General Manager, CEO, Neptuno Pumps

Founder and Executive Director of the Center for Innovation and Circular Economy – CIEC

Chile

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Salon Restrepo

PLENARY: CLOSING CEREMONY – CEFA2017

What’s next?

Concluding CEFA2017, with great gratitude the CEFA organization will say good-bye to Colombia and the city of Medellin, the Circular Economy Platform of the Americas will share the Platform’s Vision and Plan of Action for 2018, and invite the region to continue to explore new avenues development and application of solutions compatible with the Circular Economy principles.

Kevin de Cuba

Chair, Circular Economy Platform of the Americas

Director, Americas Sustainable Development Foundation

Invitation by Ambassador CEFA2018 – Santiago, Chile

The CEFA organizers are very happy to announce that CEFA2018 will take place in Santiago, Chile. Mr. Luis Martinez, Head of Sustainable Commerce of ProChile, will officially launch and invite the wider region to join the growing regional circular economy community next year in Chile and are looking forward to having a more extensive program and circular solutions to showcase and contribute to building a Circular Conscious Continent.

Luis Martinez

Head of Sustainable Commerce

ProChile

Chile

Closing Remarks by Ambassador CEFA2017 – Medellin, Colombia

The Ambassador of CEFA2017, Mayor Gutierrez, will present and announce the Medellin Declaration on Circular Economy where the foundational expressions of interests and commitments from multiple public, private, academic, and societal actors from the American Continent will be documented.

This Medellin Declaration will serve as the point of reference and starting signal for regional dialogue and cooperation on Circular Economy for the years to come.

Ambassador CEFA2017

Federico Gutierrez - TBC

Mayor of the City of Medellin

Colombia

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Official Closing of CEFA2017 with announcement of the 2017 CEFA Picture Award and Group Picture

NETWORKING PARTY (pre-registry required)

Medellin, Colombia