THE Norwegian Ambassador to the Philippines said that they are working with Philippine agencies and local stakeholders to advance a circular economy in the country in order to lessen waste generation.
Ambassador Christian Halaas Lyster said that they have been working with the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) on conducting a feasibility study that they could share with Davao City, as environmental groups have been pushing for a circular economy in the city.
He said that they have been working with non-government organizations (NGOs) in the Island Garden City of Samal (Igacos) to further boost the circular economy on the island. He said that these NGOs have been upcycling and recycling waste so that they could make money out of it.
Lyster also suggested the cash-back system that has been a huge success in Norway. He suggested that under the cash-back system, the public could return their plastic bottles, and when they gain a certain number of points, individuals could then get a sack of rice.
“That’s also something that could be upscaled in order to assist the local government and actually getting more of the plastics back,” he told SunStar Davao on April 29, 2026.
He said that the most challenging part of waste management is getting the plastic back since most of it ends up in the ocean, which causes problems.
Lyster said that in the Philippines, there are a lot of informal industries related to waste management, and this should be taken into consideration when implementing a circular economy. He hopes that this informal industry would be legitimized so that they would have formal jobs.
He said that in promoting a circular economy in the Philippines, Norway would continue working with the national and local governments. He said that they are in the process of conducting a circular economy seminar in Manila and would be inviting local stakeholders to further raise awareness.
Push for circular economy initiatives
Davao City-based environment group Interfacing Development Interventions for Sustainability (IDIS) has been promoting a circular economy in the city to lessen waste generation and for Dabawenyos to adopt it.
Idis has been supporting associations in Davao City, such as Toril Kalambuan Association and Mintal Resource Collectors’ Association (MiRCA), which have been advocates of a circular economy.
They also expanded the promotion of a circular economy to Igacos by supporting initiatives of the local community through organizations such as Sinagtalang Hardin Adi Sa Pu ng Samal and Hugpong Mangagawa sa Isla.
In order to solidify its advocacy for the implementation of a circular economy in Igacos, the local government proposed the Circular Economy Ordinance to further reduce waste generation on the island.
What is circular economy?
According to the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), a circular economy aims to reduce waste and sustainably use natural resources through smarter product design, longer use, recycling, and regenerating nature. It can also help address climate change and biodiversity loss.
A circular economy is designed to eliminate waste, keep resources in use for as long as possible, and regenerate natural ecosystems. This is in contrast to what most communities are practicing right now, which is a linear economy. A linear economy is one in which resources are extracted, used in production, distributed, consumed, and eventually discarded.
UNDP notes that global material use has risen 65 percent in the past two decades, with growing food loss, food waste, and mismanaged electronic waste.
If current trends continue, resource demand could require three Earths by 2050, highlighting the urgent need to reduce consumption and transition to a circular economy for long-term sustainability. RGP
