The EU-funded SwitchMed project has added a new section to its website, highlighting the measures that the project is implementing on the ground to adopt circular economy measures in the priority sectors selected in each target country. The new section focuses on the pilot projects implemented on the ground, and how SwitchMed is supporting them in strengthening their business model, improving their services and partners network.

There are seven demonstration pilot projects currently being implemented in Algeria, Morocco, Tunisia and Lebanon, by the Regional Activity Centre for Sustainable Consumption and Production (SCP/RAC), and another five in Egypt, Israel, Jordan and Palestine, led by UN Environment.

Examples of the pilot projects include building a collective biogas plant in Morocco, valorisation of olive oil production by-products and waste streams in Tunisia, recycling unwanted fabrics and making quilts while improving product design in Algeria, and developing composting process of organic material from the wine industry in Lebanon.

All the pilot projects are linked with SwitchMed’s national sector-specific plans related to organic farming, industrial innovation, green growth, water efficiency plans, sustainable tourism, organic waste, sustainable public procurement, and eco-labels for hotels.

The SwitchMed sustainable consumption and production programme aims to promote a switch by the Mediterranean economies towards sustainable consumption and production patterns and green economy, including low-emission development, through demonstration and dissemination of methods that improve resource and energy efficiency. It also seeks to minimise the environmental impacts associated with the life cycle of products and services and, where possible, to promote renewable energy.

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Press release

Pilot projects section

SwitchMed website