Circular Economy will be a big enabler of Green Growth.

  • In 2017 the draft Northern Ireland Industrial Strategy set out the commitment for the Department for the Economy (DfE), working alongside DAERA, to develop a Circular Economy Strategic Framework for Northern Ireland. A Circular Economy will be a complementary and essential part of the transition to a low carbon economy.
  • Keith Forster, Strategic Policy Director at DfE, will provide an overview of the development of a Circular Economy Strategic Framework to date, including; rationale, establishing a robust evidence base, key findings from the Northern Ireland Circularity Gap Report and stakeholder engagement with the public and private sector.
  • Keith will also provide an insight into some of the Framework’s early recommendations, including new ways of approaching established economic structures, the economic opportunities created as we transform from a linear economy and how greater circularity can help to mitigate against climate change and contribute towards net zero commitments.

Speaker at The Northern Ireland Waste & Resource Management Conference 2022  

Keith Forster, Director, Dept for the Economy, Northern Ireland


Keith Forster is Director of Strategic Policy Division within Economic Strategy Group in the Department for Economy (Northern Ireland).  Keith has responsibility for Economic policy; Innovation Strategy; Sustainable Economic Development (including the development of a Circular Economy Strategic Framework for NI) and Future Sectoral Policy.  Keith is also policy lead for the delivery of the innovation work programme following the Department’s launch of its Economic Vision for a ‘10x Economy: Northern Ireland’s Decade of Innovation’ in May 2021.

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