As we enter a make-or-break decade with not only environmental challenges, but also social and economic challenges, the Partnership identified the Collaborative Economy as an important instrument to foster urban and democratic resilience. The first step of the Partnership was defining the wide range of initiatives that operate in the Collaborative Economy, from local for benefit grassroots initiatives to global for profit market players.

Focusing on local resilience initiatives and the urban social economy provided a focus and a niche in which we can create an added value. This niche is furthermore classified as the intersection between the Circular Economy and the Collaborative Economy. Our solution was to develop a Collaborative Economy Knowledge Pack for Cities with recommendations on how to interact with and employ this rapidly developing new economy.

The Collaborative Economy Knowledge Pack for Cities inducts the grassroots and democratic dimensions into the Circular Economy discussion by emphasizing the role and impacts of community driven Circular Economy initiatives. In close partnership with ESPON we conducted a Targeted Analysis in six European Territories to identify the (potential for) social, economic and environmental impacts of the Collaborative Economy.

These findings are then translated into a Collaborative Economy Knowledge Pack for Cities with drivers, barriers and practical tools to foster the Collaborative Economy in service of the Circular Economy in cities and regions.

Now, the final report of the Targeted Analysis is available, together with a set up case studies and other supporting materials. 

They are all available here:

And you can read more about this work in the recently published ESPON Magazine: https://www.espon.eu/esponmag-may-202https://www.espon.eu/esponmag-may-2020