Clients: Region of Western Macedonia, CluBe, City of Jyväskylä, City of Tilburg, Ujbuda (District XI) of Budapest, City of Malmö, Tartumaa, Eutropian
Date: 2024 – ongoing
Location: Europe-wide
Bax’s Circular and Sharing Economy team is coordinating GOOD CITIES: ‘Cities stimulating new shared economy services for consumer goods in urban environments’. Through public policies, this project builds the role of the city in facilitating the development of the sharing economy in cities.
Millions of underused consumer goods, such as leisure equipment, tools, and home appliances, are found in European households, contributing to waste and environmental issues. Despite their significant impact—accounting for up to 21% of EU citizens’ consumption-related greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions—this pattern of overconsumption receives low political priority. The sharing economy offers a solution to overconsumption, promoting social, environmental, and economic sustainability.
Approach
The aim of the project is to help cities structure the local sharing economy of goods to promote more sustainable consumption and improve social cohesion. Additionally, it seeks to increase the visibility of sharing and proactive leadership, promoting sustainable consumption, creating a resource-conscious future within planetary boundaries, and supporting EU and local environmental policies. Partners achieve this by working with local stakeholder groups, leveraging policy instruments, and engaging their citizens. Through the project, cities aim to activate different parts of their cities regarding sharing, such as parks or sports facilities.
The sharing economy for us is a way to make the climate transition a reality. To make people have access to things but not necessarily have to buy them themselves. To make that happen, we need to work more with the infrastructure surrounding sharing in cities, to make room for it, and to make it accessible.
– Elin Hasselberg, Project Manager and Sustainability Strategist at the City of Malmö
The sharing economy of goods has the potential to enhance community well-being and promote sustainable economic growth. However, to fully realise these benefits, it is essential to create a system that is trustworthy, accessible, sustainable, and affordable. Therefore, cities and regional authorities play a pivotal role in fostering the sharing economy of goods: by developing innovative regulations, providing financial support and incentives, offering public spaces for sharing solutions, and connecting local stakeholders, including citizens.
– Johanna Reiland, Innovation Consultant at Bax
