How are the solutions scored against indicators?



To support the prioritisation of solutions, each circular solution is scored against three key criteria:

  • Cost to implement
  • Emission reduction potential
  • Stakeholders

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Cost to implement: This indicator highlights how financially costly a solution may be to implement.

Solutions are graded on a three-point scale:

Low: Solutions that require modest or small financial resources to implement, usually below tens of thousands of US dollars (or equivalent).

Medium: Solutions that require an appreciable amount of financial resources to implement, usually above tens of thousands of US dollars (or equivalent), but under millions of US dollars (or equivalent).

High: Large and ambitious solutions that require large amounts of financial resources to implement, usually relating to the equivalent to multi-million US dollar investments (or equivalent).

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Potential to reduce emissions: This indicator highlights the potential for a solution to reduce GHG emissions as a direct result of the implementation of a solution, rather than longer-term change.

(For example, integrating circular principles within education programmes is not likely to result in large GHG emissions reductions in the short term, but in the longer term could stimulate new innovations that can reduce GHG emissions at scale).

Since circular solutions are implemented at a range of scales, from small-scale pilot projects, to globally applied technologies, solutions are evaluated on their relative potential to reduce GHG emissions, rather than absolute tonnes of GHG emissions avoidable.

This indicator is graded on a three-point scale:

Low: Solutions that are likely to generate modest or negligible reductions in GHG emissions in the short term.

Medium: Solutions that are likely to generate GHG emissions in the short term.

High: Solutions that are likely to generate significant reductions of GHG emissions directly.

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Key stakeholders: This indicator highlights which groups of stakeholders are necessary for the implementation and operation of a particular solution.

Three groups of stakeholders are defined:

Municipality: Public authorities, often at the sub-national scale.

Businesses & industries: Private sector organisations.

Community initiatives: Both civil society groups as well as individual residents.