Author: Arnes Biogradlija

A major step forward for Europe’s circular economy strategy has been secured as Thermo Lysi SA, in partnership with Pyrum Innovations AG, received €29.4 million in funding approval from the European Innovation Fund (EIF). The grant finalizes financing for a €100 million tyre recycling plant in Livanates, Greece, a facility set to process 45,000 tones of end-of-life tyres annually and rank among the continent’s most advanced pyrolysis sites. The EIF’s involvement underscores the increasing prioritization of industrial-scale recycling solutions capable of addressing Europe’s waste challenges while supporting decarbonization goals. End-of-life tyres, of which the EU generates over 3.5 million tones…

The brutal truth about Europe’s battery ambitions hit me during a conversation in Sarajevo with Noshin Omar, the founder of AVESTA Holding. While Chinese battery startups surge from zero to billion-dollar valuations in just three years, Europe’s most innovative battery manufacturers are struggling to secure even scraps of capital and are drowning in permit applications. WATCH THE FULL INTERVIEW HERE Omar didn’t mince words: “Unfortunately, we in Europe are not risk-minded to support startups, to support good ideas. While in the US, in China, they are.” This isn’t just another complaint about regulatory burden. This is an existential crisis playing…

According to Greene (2022), in the next 25 years society must intensify food production while minimizing impacts on climate, land use, freshwater, and biodiversity. Microalgae production emerges as a high-potential solution, offering rapid growth, nutrient density, and environmental advantages that traditional crops cannot match. Microalgae grow 20–30% faster than conventional crops and do not compete for arable land (Greenwell, 2010; Mala, 2016; McDill, 2009). This characteristic allows microalgae to supplement food systems without exacerbating land scarcity, making it a strategic tool for closing projected gaps in global nutritional supply (Greene, 2022). Nutritionally, microalgae are rich in phycocyanin proteins and omega-3…

Nigeria generates roughly 2.5 million tonnes of plastic waste annually, with less than 10% currently recycled. Nestlé Nigeria Plc is positioning itself at the center of efforts to reverse that trend, using industry collaboration, local entrepreneurship, and policy alignment to transform discarded plastic into economic and environmental value. As part of the Food and Beverage Recycling Alliance (FBRA) — a coalition of major consumer goods companies — Nestlé is advancing Nigeria’s Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) framework, which requires producers to manage the environmental footprint of their packaging throughout its lifecycle. Working with the National Environmental Standards and Regulations Enforcement Agency…

Steel exporters to the European Union face a stark reality when the Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism begins charging fees on January 1, 2026: a carbon tax of just €15 to €45 per tonne at their home facilities will eliminate their border obligations, while even the most ambitious emissions reductions through technology upgrades can only achieve 80% relief. The mathematics underlying the EU’s landmark climate trade policy reveal an asymmetric playing field where policy interventions at the point of production outperform industrial transformation by significant margins. The Phase-In Advantage That Won’t Last The EU structured CBAM implementation to avoid economic shock.…

The October 2025 designation of hydrogen as an “industry of the future” by the 4th Plenum of the 20th Central Committee marks the formal activation of China’s industrial policy machinery—a mechanism that has consistently transformed strategic declarations into global market dominance. The pattern established with photovoltaics in 2006 and batteries in 2010 suggests China’s hydrogen trajectory will follow a predictable but highly effective sequence: national support programs, provincial implementation, binding development targets, and demand-side quotas that force market creation. China’s photovoltaic sector provides the most instructive precedent. The 2006 strategic designation preceded the 2009 Golden Sun demonstration program and the…

As Brussels recalibrates its industrial policy to align climate ambition with economic competitiveness, the circular economy has become the centerpiece of Europe’s next growth model. The European Commission’s upcoming Circular Economy Act, along with frameworks like the Competitiveness Compass and Clean Industrial Deal, marks a shift from voluntary sustainability to regulatory accountability. Europe’s pursuit of circularity is increasingly defined by one tension: how to scale efficiency without sacrificing competitiveness. At stake is more than environmental stewardship. According to the European Commission, European industries spend over twice as much on materials as on labor or energy, making circular practices a potential…

Germany’s Federal Court of Auditors issued a critical assessment of the country’s hydrogen strategy on October 29, 2025, citing substantial deviations between projected targets and market realities despite multi-billion euro subsidy commitments. Court President Kay Scheller’s call for a “reality check” highlights systemic misalignments in a program central to Germany’s 2045 climate neutrality objective and industrial decarbonization pathway. The audit report identifies fundamental gaps in both hydrogen supply development and demand materialization, though specific quantitative shortfalls remain unpublished in available public documentation. Germany’s National Hydrogen Strategy, updated in 2023, projected domestic production capacity of 10 GW electrolysis by 2030, supplemented…

As global CO₂ concentrations climb past 420 parts per million, the urgency to decarbonize industrial systems has never been greater. A new joint study by researchers from India and Ireland proposes a recalibration: embedding CCS within the circular economy to transform emissions into economic assets rather than liabilities. The study, led by Dr. Pratibha Gautam of SRICT, UPL University of Sustainable Technology, argues that the convergence of CCS and circular economy models could deliver a “multiplier effect for sustainability.” Instead of focusing solely on storage, the researchers emphasize carbon utilization—repurposing captured CO₂ into chemicals, building materials, or synthetic fuels—to reduce…

The global sustainable plastic packaging market is expected to expand from USD 112.7 billion in 2025 to USD 194.4 billion by 2035, growing at a compound annual rate of 5.6%. This steady rise highlights how regulatory pressure, technological innovation, and consumer awareness are reshaping the packaging industry’s relationship with plastic. Companies are now rethinking materials, investing in recycling infrastructure, and redesigning supply chains to meet both market and environmental demands. The packaging sector is undergoing a structural transformation. Traditional plastics, long associated with waste accumulation and pollution, are being replaced by recyclable, compostable, and bio-based alternatives that retain durability while…