For our third interview, we shift our focus to a policy expert from a civil society background Doreen Fedrigo. She is the Head of Circular Economy Policy at ECOS – European Environmental Citizens’ Organisation for Standardisation. Although her work is on both policy development for sustainable materials and cycles as well as the on the technical implementation of those systems, her scope of insight reaches further, where she calls out for instance the shortcomings of the three pillar sustainability mantra and explores alternatives.

 

“Taking the three pillar sustainability approach and saying they are all even, when actually, in reality they are not. Because ultimately, we depend on the planet and the resources it gives us to shape our societies and build our economies.”

Doreen discusses the need for true costing of the energy and other industry, and providing earmarked budgets for environmental and social crisis at EU level. She also argues for the shifting of focus away from efficiency towards a sufficiency model – or “going beyond tinkering” and the role of grassroot movements. If you want to hear the full interview, here is a link to the podcast.

“What we need is more of that kind of grassroots, bottom up pushing the system, because the top down structures aren’t flexible enough, aren’t agile enough to move quickly, but what can move quickly is the societal messages coming through saying: ‘no we want better than this, we deserve it and we need it’.”

This video interview is a part of an interview series with the various European stakeholders focusing on climate and the future of Europe. It aims to identify main obstacles as well as the potential solutions and ways forward – from voices we don’t hear every day. Interview by Ólöf Söebech and Louise Baduel.

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