The Circular Economy Platform of the Americas and the Americas Sustainable Development Foundation are proud to organize the Forum and are thankful to the city of Medellin and Colombia for hosting CEFA2017.
Day 2: Thursday – Nov 30, 2017
The Circular Economy in the American Continent
Time
Activity
7:30 AM – 8:30 AM
Registration & Coffee
8:30 AM – 10:30 AM
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:
Alejandro Alvarez-Vanegas
Professor, Industrial Ecology, and Circular Economy
EAFIT University
Colombia
High-Level Speakers:
Beatriz Luz
Founder
Exchange4Change global knowledge transfer network dedicated to Brazil
Brazil
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
Rapporteur:
Ricardo Weigend
Circular Economy Business Developer
ECOR
Mexico
10:30 AM – 11:00 AM
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.
11:00 AM – 12:30 PM
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:
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
Rapporteur:
Paulina Criollo Alvarez
Industrial Ecology Consultant
Evolution Engineering
Ecuador
11:00 AM – 12:30 PM
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:
Daniel Gomez
Founder and Director
Circular Economy Hub of Colombia
Colombia
Speakers:
Dr. Albina Ruiz Rios
Founder and President
Ciudad Saludable
Peru
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
Rapporteur:
Dr. Keron Niles
Lecturer, Sustainable Green Economy Transition
Institute of International Relations at the University of the West Indies
Trinidad and Tobago
11:00 AM – 12:30 PM
ORGANIZED AND HOSTED by: Ruta N
Salon Humbolt #2 / Mutis #2
PANEL DISCUSSION 3: ROADMAPING CIRCULAR CITIES
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:
Paola Pollmeier
Coordinator Open Innovation
Ruta N
Colombia
Panelists:
TBD
12:30 PM – 2:30 PM
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.
2:30 PM – 4:00 PM
Salon Restrepo
PANEL DISCUSSION 1: ENABLING CIRCULAR ECONOMY DEVELOPMENT IN THE AMERICAS
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
Panelists:
Alexandre Gobbo Fernandes
Senior Circular Economy Specialist
Fernandes & Rossetto Consultores
Brazil
Juana Camacho-Otero
Founder of Circular Innovation
Colombia
Jose Alejandro Martinez
Director of Sustainability Department
Institute for sustainable entrepreneurship
EAN University
Colombia
Ron Gonen - TBC
Closed Loop Fund
United States
Alan Knight
General Manager, Corporate Responsibility
ArcelorMittal
United Kingdom
Rapporteur:
Petar Ostojic
General Manager, CEO, Neptuno Pumps
Founder and Executive Director of the Center for Innovation and Circular Economy – CIEC
Chile
2:30 PM – 4:00 PM
ORGANIZED and HOSTED by: Inter-American Development Bank
Salon Humbolt #1 / Mutis #1
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
Panelists:
TBD
2:30 PM – 4:00 PM
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
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
Paulina Criollo Álvarez
Industrial Ecology Consultant
Evolution Engineering
Ecuador
Marcela Godoy
President
Sustainable Circular Consumers Association (AdC Circular)
Chile
Rapporteur:
Bibiana Serna
Project Manager
OAS Sustainable Development Department
Colombia
4:00 PM – 4:30 PM
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.
4:30 PM – 5:00 PM
Salon Restrepo
PLENARY: HOW DOES CIRCULAR ECONOMY BENEFIT THE AMERICAN CONTINENT?
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
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
5:00 PM – 5:45 PM
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
Official Closing of CEFA2017 with announcement of the 2017 CEFA Picture Award and Group Picture
8:00 PM – 11:00 PM
NETWORKING PARTY (pre-registry required)
Medellin, Colombia

