Center for World Trade Studies Universitas Gadjah Mada (CWTS UGM) held the “International Policy Workshop on Trade, Circular Economy and Sustainability: Forging Knowledge Co-Production on International Trade and Circular Economy Linkages in Developing Countries” virtually on Tuesday (21/9/21) and Wednesday (22/9/21). This workshop was organised by CWTS UGM in collaboration with the World Trade Organization (WTO) Chairs Programme and the Twin Center Program on Trade and Circular Economy.
The workshop was officially opened by Dr. Riza Noer Arfani as the Director of CWTS UGM and drg. Ika Dewi Ana, Ph.D as the Vice-Rector of Universitas Gadjah Mada. Ambassador Xiangchen Zhang from the Deputy Director-General of the WTO and H.E. Monique T.G. Van Daalen as the Permanent Representative of the Kingdom of the Netherlands to the WTO also expressed their support for the workshop in their welcoming remarks.
The workshop started with a talk show that invited regents and practitioners who had taken circular economy initiatives in their respective regions. This talk show also marked the launch of CWTS’s “Starting Point” podcast, which will become a learning medium for circular economy practices and policies in Indonesia. The talk show speakers, namely Hamim Pou as the Regent of Bone Bolango (Gorontalo), Agustinus Taolin as the Regent of Belu (East Nusa Tenggara), and Rendy Aditya Wachid as the CEO of Parongpong RAW Lab, shared their experiences in encouraging the circular economy implementation by involving government institutions, private sector, and local communities. The talk show ended with a presentation by Dr. Rima Prama Artha from the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) regarding the “Economic, Social and Environmental Benefits of a Circular Economy in Indonesia.”
There were five discussion panels in this workshop that were conducted on two consecutive days. The “Circular Economy in Agribusiness and the Food and Beverage Industry” panel initiated the workshop discussion session on the first day (21/9/21). This panel was followed by the second panel themed “New Frontiers in the Circular Economy,” which raised topics about fashion, beauty, health industries, and education.
The third to fifth panels were held on the second day (22/9/21). The third panel discussed the “Circular Economy, Investment and Industrial Policy,” followed by the fourth panel on “SMEs and People-based Initiatives in Circular Economy” and the last panel on “Circular Economy in the Construction and Electronics Industries.”
Maria Josefina Figueroa from Copenhagen School of Business and Dr. Rainer Lanz from the WTO’s Trade and Environment Division delivered their presentations to conclude the workshop. Each of them conveyed that the circular economy has the potential to solve climate problems, but is still relatively weak in practice. The solutions offered by WTO include transparency and policy dialogue, negotiation, and capacity building for more circular and secure trade. The workshop was officially closed by the Minister of Trade of the Republic of Indonesia, Muhammad Lutfi, and the Head of Division of Knowledge and Information Management, Academic Outreach and the WTO Chairs Programme, Werner Zdouc.
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PSPD UGM Selenggarakan Lokakarya Kebijakan Internasional terkait Perdagangan, Ekonomi Sirkular dan Keberlanjutan
Pada Selasa (21/9/21) dan Rabu (22/9/21), Pusat Studi Perdagangan Dunia Universitas Gadjah Mada (PSPD UGM) menyelenggarakan lokakarya bertajuk “International Policy Workshop on Trade, Circular Economy and Sustainability: Forging Knowledge Co-Production on International Trade and Circular Economy Linkages in Developing Countries” secara virtual. Kegiatan ini terlaksana sebagai bentuk kerjasama antara PSPD UGM dengan World Trade Organization (WTO) Chairs Programme dan Twin Center Program on Trade and Circular Economy guna mendorong pengembangan penelitian dan kemitraan kebijakan ekonomi sirkular di Indonesia.
Kegiatan ini dibuka oleh Dr. Riza Noer Arfani selaku Direktur PSPD UGM dan drg. Ika Dewi Ana, Ph.D selaku Wakil Rektor Bidang Penelitian dan Pengabdian kepada Masyarakat UGM. Duta besar Xiangchen Zhang selaku Deputi Direktur-Jenderal WTO dan H.E. Mrs. Monique T.G. Van Daalen selaku Perwakilan Tetap Belanda untuk WTO turut memberikan dukungan terhadap pelaksanaan lokakarya melalui pengiriman pesan sambutan.
Lokakarya diawali dengan talk show bersama kepala daerah dan praktisi yang telah memulai inisiatif pelaksanaan ekonomi sirkular di daerah masing-masing. Talk show ini turut menandai peluncuran kanal siniar (podcast) “Starting Point” milik PSPD UGM yang kedepannya akan menjadi media pembelajaran praktik dan kebijakan ekonomi sirkular di Indonesia. Ketiga pembicara talk show, yakni Hamim Pou selaku Bupati Bone Bolango (Gorontalo), Agustinus Taolin selaku Bupati Belu (Nusa Tenggara Timur), dan Rendy Aditya Wachid selaku CEO Parongpong RAW Lab, membagikan pengalaman mereka dalam mendorong implementasi ekonomi sirkular yang melibatkan instansi pemerintahan, swasta, hingga komunitas masyarakat. Talk show ini ditutup dengan paparan Dr. Rima Prama Artha dari United Nations Development Program (UNDP) terkait keuntungan ekonomi, sosial, dan lingkungan yang dapat dihasilkan dengan mengaplikasikan sistem ekonomi sirkular di Indonesia.
Sesi diskusi dalam lokakarya ini terbagi menjadi lima panel yang diselenggarakan dalam dua hari berturut-turut. Panel “Ekonomi Sirkular dalam Agribisnis dan Industri Makanan dan Minuman” menjadi panel pembuka sesi diskusi hari pertama (21/9/21), dilanjutkan dengan panel bertemakan “Terobosan Baru dalam Ekonomi Sirkular” yang mengangkat topik-topik mengenai industri fashion, kecantikan, kesehatan, hingga pendidikan.
Panel ketiga hingga kelima diselenggarakan pada hari kedua (22/9/21) dengan mengangkat tema yang tidak kalah menarik. Panel ketiga membahas mengenai “Ekonomi Sirkular, Investasi, dan Kebijakan Industri,” diikuti dengan panel keempat mengenai “Ekonomi Sirkular dalam UMKM dan Inisiatif berbasis Masyarakat” dan panel terakhir mengenai “Ekonomi Sirkular dalam Industri Konstruksi dan Elektronik.”
Rangkaian lokakarya diakhiri dengan presentasi yang diberikan oleh Maria Josefina Figueroa dari Copenhagen Business School dan Dr. Rainer Lanz dari Divisi Perdagangan dan Lingkungan WTO. Masing-masing menyebutkan bahwa ekonomi sirkular sejatinya memiliki potensi untuk menyelesaikan permasalahan iklim, namun pelaksanaannya masih tergolong lemah. Skema penyelesaian yang ditawarkan oleh WTO meliputi transparansi dan dialog kebijakan, negosiasi, serta pembangunan kapasitas untuk perdagangan yang lebih sirkular dan aman. Lokakarya ini secara resmi ditutup oleh Menteri Perdagangan Republik Indonesia, Muhammad Lutfi dan Kepala Divisi Manajemen Informasi dan Pengetahuan, Penjangkauan Akademik dan WTO Chairs Programme, Werner Zdouc.