Press release
Focus on the global circular economy – Successful forum for innovation, cooperation and knowledge transfer
Birkenfeld, November 7, 2025 – The 16. International Circular Economy Week at the Birkenfeld Environmental Campus has once again brought together experts from business, science, politics and civil society. From 3 to 7 November 2025, the focus was on current developments, practical solutions and future concepts for circular bioeconomy and resource efficiency.
Under the guiding theme “Circular Bioeconomy: Driving Regional Transformation and Resilient Economies”, the participants discussed strategies and tools for a climate-neutral, resilient economy – from regional planning to the implementation of concrete projects. It became clear that the challenges of climate change can only be overcome through international cooperation, cross-sectoral innovations and sustainable business models.
The event week, which has established itself as a real-world laboratory, innovation platform and international cooperation forum, offered a wide range of opportunities for the exchange of knowledge and experience. The aim was to make circular value chains visible and to provide impetus for transformation processes in regions worldwide.
Excursions to regional showcase projects
A highlight of the week were the excursions to exemplary projects in Rhineland-Palatinate, including:
- Rhein-Hunsrück waste disposal in Kirchberg (generation of renewable energies from organic and green waste),
- Verbandsgemeindewerke Saarburg-Kell with its energy-efficient sewage treatment plant in Ayl,
- Stadtwerke Trier, known for sector-linked energy projects.
International conference as the highlight of the week
The highlight of the week was the International Circular Economy Conference on the 5th of November. In his opening speech, Prof. Dr. Peter Heck, Managing Director of the Institute for Applied Material Flow Management (IfaS), emphasized the need for a far-reaching change towards closed material cycles and climate-friendly economic structures. Using international practical examples, he showed that ecological transformation is both economically attractive and socially compatible.
International experts then presented innovative technologies, financing models and cooperation projects – from decentralised energy supply to industrial material flow solutions and municipal transformation strategies. Around 160 participants from more than 15 countries – including Brazil, China, India, Japan, Ecuador, Colombia, Mauritania, Morocco, Nigeria and Peru – accepted the invitation to Birkenfeld. A festive dinner rounded off the conference with space for networking and project initiation.
International cooperation and exchange with Rhineland-Palatinate
On November 6th, the Mauritanian delegation led by Yeslem Hamdane, advisor to the Mauritanian Minister for Economic Affairs and Development, met State Secretary Michael Hauer at the Ministry for Climate Protection, Environment, Energy and Mobility Rhineland-Palatinate in Mainz. The focus was on discussions about the Sahara Renaissance Project (SAREP) and the deepening of cooperation in the areas of technical cooperation, political support and sustainable resource management. The delegation was accompanied by Prof. Dr. Peter Heck and the SAREP team – Dr. Felix Flesch, Meriem Drissi Sbai, and Yarba Limam.
In addition, bilateral discussions and expert forums took place at the Environmental Campus Birkenfeld in order to deepen existing partnerships and explore new cooperation opportunities. For example, the German-Sino Higher Education Forum was held, at which the opportunities and challenges of further intensifying cooperation and the joint further development of educational formats in the field of the circular economy were discussed.
In addition, the network of the international study program International Material Flow Management (IMAT) also came together to discuss current developments and future perspectives of the program.
Shared commitment to a circular future
The International Circular Economy Week 2025 was organised by IfaS in cooperation with the Ministry for Climate Protection, Environment, Energy and Mobility Rhineland-Palatinate and organised by the environmental technology network Ecoliance Rheinland-Pfalz e.V. and the Interreg project Greater Green+. It impressively demonstrated how scientific expertise, political support and international partnerships can work together to drive the change towards a global circular economy.
Further information
As part of the Circular Economy Week, the following delegations were among the international guests:
Delegation Mauritania:
The delegation included representatives of the Ministry of Economy and Finance, the Ministry of Environment, the University of Nouakchott and other institutional partners actively involved in the implementation of the SAREP initiative (https://sarep.de/de/). The talks focused on the further deepening and expansion of cooperation as well as the topics of sustainable resource management and the joint development of green innovation strategies for the Sahara region.
Delegation Japan:
The visit by eleven representatives of the Ritsumeikan Asia Pacific University (APU) focused on a joint project at the AMITA Holding PLC site in Tachiarai, Fukuoka Prefecture. The task is to develop a holistic transformation concept for the corporate partner AMITA.
Delegation China:
The group consisted of four Chinese delegations. Hebei Finance University, Shandong University of Political Science, Yantai University and the private education service provider Booya were represented. The aim of the visit was the bilateral exchange within the framework of a German-Sino Higher Education Forum.
Delegation Ecuador:
Three professors from the Universidad Tecnológica Empresarial de Guayaquil came to find out about the topic of “Green Building” and in particular about the sustainable campus concept of the Environmental Campus Birkenfeld.
Speakers at the conference: https://icew.de/meet-our-speakers/
More information on the agenda of the event week and the conference: https://icew.de/program/
