A five-member delegation from the BME Department of Environmental Economics and Sustainability attended the NiCE project's closing conference, held between March 11–12 in Germany at the Umweltbundesamt (German Environment Agency). Department staff contributed to the delivery of the workshop titled "The NiCE Knowledge Platform: A Toolkit for Urban Circular Lifestyle Transformers." During the session, participants reviewed the key outputs of the NiCE project, which can be adapted to their own local contexts. The workshop demonstrated that the project’s results are widely applicable across various European cities seeking to integrate circular economy principles into their daily operations.
The two-day event commenced with a welcome by Dorothea Palenberg and Eter Hachmann, Deputy Mayor of Dessau-Roßlau, followed by an introduction by Prof. Dirk Messner, President of the UBA. A high-level panel discussion featuring experts from Slovakia, the Czech Republic, and Germany explored how different stakeholders can drive the circularity transition in city centres. Throughout the "Market of Opportunities," attendees explored best practices ranging from local repair networks to climate communication tools and eco-design awards. The "Deep Dive" sessions addressed critical issues such as the reuse of vacant urban spaces, biodiversity education, and engaging industrial stakeholders in circular practices. The conference concluded with a keynote on local-level climate communication by Prof. Maike Sippel and a final recap by Dr. Laura Spengler, fostering international cooperation for a sustainable future.