While the Circular Economy (CE) and the fossil fuel producers may not seem a ‘natural match’ many CE innovations relevant to Mistra REES and of its Partner companies are in focus for the world’s largest oil & gas company Saudi Aramco.

• How can the CE be operationalised and what are the financial / environmental benefits for an extractive industry?
• Where can material loop concepts apply within the oil and gas industry?
• Why is cultural change towards circularity important?

These are among the themes presented to an audience of 227 Saudi Aramco professionals in a 90 minute lecture and Q/A seminar delivered by Mistra REES partner IIIEE at Lund University on 8th July this year.

Delivered as part of Aramco’s ‘Technical Services Professional Academy (TSPA)’ the event focused on the MOOC Circular Economy – Sustainable Materials Management, which is a prioritised TSPA course. More than 850 professionals from Saudi Aramco have completed the 5-week course and have benefited from Mistra REES research that operationalises key Circular Economy principles. Aramco also has an established CE programme.

The CEMOOC, which features  Mistra REES researchers, both past & present, was created by  Mistra REES partner IIIEE at Lund University in collaboration with EIT RawMaterials, VITO, GEUS, NTUA, Ghent University, and TU Delft.