Engineers Australia welcomes the release of the Circular Economy Ministerial Advisory Group (CEMAG) Final Report, a milestone document providing a blueprint for Australia’s transition to a circular economy. The report, developed over nearly two years of consultation, offers a comprehensive vision for embedding circular economy principles across key sectors and highlights Engineers Australia as a critical partner in this national effort.
Engineers Australia CEO Romilly Madew AO, a member of the advisory committee that guided the development of the report, said “This report lays a strong foundation for Australia to drive meaningful change by embedding circular economy principles into our policies, industries and communities. The recommendations provide a clear path to drive innovation, harmonise frameworks and develop the skills needed to lead the transition.”
Key recommendations:
The CEMAG Final Report outlines 14 Core Recommendations, supported by targeted initiatives in the built environment, food and agriculture, resources, and water sectors. Key themes include:
- Developing a National Circular Economy Policy Framework with clear targets, metrics and priorities.
- Introducing a Circular Economy Act to support better standards and circular design processes.
- Harmonising rules across jurisdictions to create a level playing field for circular practices.
- Supporting research and commercialisation with clear circular economy investment priorities.
- Embedding circular economy principles into Environmental, Social and Governance frameworks.
- Engineers Australia’s role and initiatives
- The report recognises Engineers Australia as a pivotal organisation in fostering the engineering skills necessary to advance circular economy principles.
In response to the opportunities highlighted, Engineers Australia is collaborating with Circular Australia through its Climate Smart Engineering initiative to develop a Continuing Professional Development (CPD) series entitled Circular Economy for Engineers, set to launch in March 2025.
The three-part CPD series will:
- Provide engineers with practical insights into circular economy practices.
- Lay the groundwork for additional self-paced online courses and micro-credentials tailored to specific engineering disciplines.
- Encourage collaboration between Engineers Australia Colleges, Technical Societies, industry and government stakeholders.
“We are proud to take on a leadership role in advancing circular economy skills,” Ms Madew said. “This initiative demonstrates how engineers can drive the transition to a sustainable, circular economy through innovation and collaboration.”
More information on the CEMAG framework can be found on the Department for Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water's website.