Circular Economy Bachelors Course to Be Offered for the First Time in Georgia
Global society is at an environmental breaking point. Modern production and consumption practices have severely degraded our water, air, and soil resources, and our rate of fossil fuel extraction and emission puts society on track for catastrophic climate change. It has been projected that at our current rate of plastic consumption, by 2050 there will be more plastic in the ocean than fish (by weight). To help mitigate these environmental problems, some are calling for a redesign of the system that lies at their root, the linear economy, in favor of a more circular alternative.
Under the linear consumption economy, also referred to as the “take, make, waste” system, products are only designed for a limited lifespan and then disposed of. This applies to not only single-use products, like plastic straws and paper towels, but also to more expensive goods like clothing, smartphones, and furniture. A circular economy aims to eliminate material and energy waste by prioritizing systems of reuse, repair, and recycling.
Starting September 2019, students at the International School of Economics at Tbilisi State University (ISET) will have the opportunity to explore the principles of the circular economy and learn how business can put this framework into action. This material will be offered in a new course, “Circular Economy”, developed by International Expert Hans Wiesmeth in partnership with the USAID-funded Waste Management Technologies in the Regions (WMTR II) program implemented by CENN and ISET. The course will be launched shortly and be taught in the third year of the BA program for the duration of one academic semester.
To learn more about the circular economy concept, GEORGIA TODAY spoke with economist Dr. Hans Wiesmeth, a professor at the Technical University of Dresden, who helped develop the curriculum for the “Circular Economy” course at ISET, the Executive Director of CENN, Nana Janashia, and the Director of ISET, Dr. Tamar Sulukhia.
What is the circular economy and how does it differ from the linear economy?
Hans: The Ellen MacArthur Foundation provides one of the most prominent definitions of a circular economy: “A circular economy is an industrial system that is restorative or regenerative by intention and design. It replaces the ‘end-of-life’ concept with restoration, shifts towards the use of renewable energy, eliminates the use of toxic chemicals, which impair reuse, and aims for the elimination of waste through the superior design of materials, products, systems, and, within this, business models”. In particular, a circular economy aims to prevent waste, as “products are designed and optimized for a cycle of disassembly and reuse”. Consequently – and very importantly – a circular economy requires a “new thinking” in all parts of a society.
This is in contrast to the traditional linear economy, which is characterized as a “throughput economy”, a take, make and dispose economy based on the use of fossil fuels.
Why is the circular economy concept important?
Hans: Because of the gradually changing framework conditions for our economic and social systems, it’s becoming increasingly important to switch from a linear economy to a circular one. Otherwise, we risk depleting life supporting environmental resources with possibly disastrous consequences for the life of many people on earth.
WHAT WAS YOUR ROLE WORKING IN GEORGIA WITH CENN AND ISET?
Hans: I have been teaching “Environmental Economics and Policy” at ISET since 2008. I am happy that I got in contact with CENN in recent years. CENN provided support for discussing issues in waste management with important people from the public administration of Georgia, in particular the Ministry for the Environment. Moreover, I was able to develop a textbook on the circular economy to be used for teaching this important field in Georgian universities. Consequently, both institutions are very helpful for disseminating the concept of a circular economy in the countries of the South Caucasus.
Why and how did ISET become interested in the circular economy concept?
Tamar: With the high pace of urbanization and economic growth, the environmental footprint of Georgia’s economy is expanding and deepening. The need for action is evident and is further exacerbated by the impacts of climate change globally and locally. Many governments across the globe, including in Georgia, are increasingly realizing the need for proactive policies to green the economy and deal with severe impacts of climate change through mainstreaming adaptation and mitigation agenda in their national policies. Joint actions by policy-makers, business, civil society and citizens are required to soften the environmental footprint and use every opportunity towards efficient use of the country’s (and global) resources. Equipping the next generation of young professionals and future policy-makers with the right knowledge and skillset is an important part of this critical global and national agenda.
ISET has had integrated Environmental Economics in its Masters in Economics program curriculum since 2009 and it is taught by the visiting professor from Technical University Dresden (Germany) Dr. Hans Wiesmeth. A number of ISET alumni who have taken the course are employed by the Ministry of Environment and Agriculture, other public institutions and NGOs involved in design and implementation of environmental policies.
In 2017, USAID Waste Management Technologies in the Regions (WMTR) Project implemented by CENN hired Professor Wiesmeth to assist the Government of Georgia in designing and implementing the policy on extended producer responsibility (EPR). Professor Wiesmeth was closely collaborating with ISET Policy Institute researchers in delivering on this important task. This created a fruitful partnership and strong bonds between ISET and CENN. Through close collaboration and synergies with CENN on the circularity in the economics of environmental resources, CENN and ISET recently agreed to work with professor Wiesmeth further in expanding learning opportunities and strengthening skillsets for future economists in Georgia and beyond.
What purpose does the course serve? What kind of qualifications or professional directions can this lead the students to?
Tamar: The aim of the course is to teach students how to use tools of economic theory to analyze the use of environmental resources from the viewpoint of efficiency and sustainability. Studying the use of environmental resources across the value chain of production helps to better understand how to reduce (R) the environmental footprint, reuse (R) the resources already utilized for production and recycle (R) the products that can create precious resources. This summarizes the principle of the three Rs, that are the cornerstone of the circular economy. The course will equip students interested in environmental policy with knowledge of economic instruments for resource management and help them more easily identify costs and benefits associated with decisions. These skills are currently lacking both in Georgian public service and among civil society organizations, thus this knowledge will equip students with very much needed skills for interesting and highly impactful job opportunities. For more entrepreneurially-minded students, the course will go through the value chain of different resource uses and help them identify possible business opportunities that can arise from the approach of environmental protection.
How are you working with the education sector to promulgate the concept of ‘circular economy’?
Nana: We realized that in Georgia, there was a substantial deficit in specialization and professional workforce in circular economy, whether in practice or theory. For us, the most important goal is to make sure we can establish a system that doesn’t compromise the environment and our health, and above all, that can be sustained. Therefore, investing in education and creating a platform to support professions and workforce development was absolutely essential.
We decided to start working with educational institutions and support them in introducing a circular economy course into their curricula. We are working with the education sector intensively via various thematic seminars, trainings, competitions, camps, etc.
CENN, through its USAID WMTR II program, decided to take advantage of the country’s willingness to introduce circular economy approaches. It is essential to have specialists with a sufficient background in circular economy that can support the country in transitioning from a linear economy to a circular. These experts will provide their knowledge and support at the decision-making level as well as at the implementation level.
How was the syllabus developed?
Nana: We decided to introduce a circular economy course in the curricula of educational institutions and involve international expertise in this process. The USAID WMTR II program involved an international expert from Dresden University to develop syllabus along with relevant textbooks on the circular economy concept and, in addition, to conduct a training for the university lecturers. In March 2019, an intensive training was conducted on this topic and shortly afterwards the USAID WMTR II program worked intensively with ISET to support them in incorporating the circular economy course into their curriculum. We are very happy that this cooperation was possible and starting September 2019, ISET will offer this new course to its students. With the support of USAID WMTR II program, Hans Wiesmeth will be teaching the course during its first phase.