Carbon & Cash: Funding a Circular Chemical Economy – White Paper Launch

Join our latest CircularChem webinar on 24th October to find out how centre researcher Dr Tom Franklin and guest speakers Prof Peter Styring (University of Sheffield), Dr Thomas Baker (WRAP) and Rachel Tshondo (Barclays) are helping to influence policy to achieve a circular economy with the launch of a recent policy White Paper.

UK policies to achieve net zero emissions by 2050 are over-reliant on electrification and carbon capture and storage (CCS). With CCS potentially decades away from becoming a useful method of decarbonisation, this strategy is almost certain to fail. We need solutions that will reduce emissions today and enable a swift transition to a circular chemical economy. Achieving this will require significant political and financial support. A key challenge in this transition is scaling up suitable technologies within appropriate timescales. Lack of funding opportunities and low investor confidence are significant barriers to scaling up – areas in which policy can provide opportunities and solutions.

Tom will provide a summary of a series of stakeholder workshops held earlier in the year to address the policy and financial requirements for a circular chemicals economy, culminating in a policy-focussed and industry supported White Paper addressing how to help finance and scale circular chemical economy solutions.

The following Panel Discussion will provide opportunity for our expert panellists to comment on the White Paper and invite further discussion. There will also be opportunity for an audience Q&A with our panellists.

Webinar Agenda:

12.00 – 12.05: Welcome & Introductions (Dr Tom Franklin)

12.05 – 12.20: Overview of stakeholder workshops and White Paper Launch (Dr Tom Franklin)

12.20 – 12.45: Panel Discussion

12.45 – 13.00: Q&A (Dr Tom Franklin & panellists)

13.00: Close (Dr Tom Franklin)

Panel Members:

Professor Peter Styring (Policy Lead, CircularChem).

Rachel Tshondo (Barclays).

Dr Thomas Baker (Plastics Specialist, WRAP).

Financing a Circular Chemical Economy Executive Summary Report (October 2024).