During EU Green Week ECR member and CoR rapporteur on the circular economy, Tjisse Stelpstra, participated in the conference "Preparing Europe for Climate Change – Reinforcing climate adaptation in the regions and cities".

​Mr Stelpstra, who also serves as Member of the Council of the Province of Drenthe, highlighted that "climate change is a multi-dimensional and global problem, but regions and municipalities are at the frontline of efforts - we must remain close to our inhabitants to give them hope about climate adaptation, and remind them how just how resilient we can be as shown and proven during the pandemic".

The event, organised by the Commission for the Environment, Climate change and Energy in the European Committee of the Regions, took place online on 31 May 2021.

The following day Mr Stelpstra acted as jury member responsible for the public administration and organisation category in the European Week for Waste Reduction (EWWR) awards – one of the biggest awareness campaigns about waste prevention in Europe. The annual EWWR Awards Ceremony took place online and revealed the names of the most outstanding awareness-raising actions on waste reduction implemented in November 2020.

During the opening session of the event Mr Stelpstra gave an insight into his perspective on waste: “There is no waste! We need a mind shift in how to look at resources. Too often in our linear economy, materials are simply discarded and tossed away. But materials we no longer use are the resources of our future!"

For him, it is the responsibility of governments at all levels to lead in regulating and stimulating to make a fair transition to a circular economy possible and he referred to the Action Plan of the European Commission as providing useful advice and guidance on re-use and the right to repair. "We can prevent a lot of waste if products are designed accordingly. Many people have excellent ideas, but more than that, there is a lot of activity".

Mr Stelpstra concluded to say that the award ceremony is "also a ceremony of hope and confidence!"