Circular economy team: successful project launch 

The circular economy team kicked off its dialogue with municipalities and regions with a successful kick-off webinar on 15 December 2025. 

The Circular economy team is a subsidised project within the framework of the Austrian CAP Strategic Plan 23 27. The project supports municipalities in implementing the circular economy in practice, networking existing initiatives and disseminating successful approaches in the long term. 

The event focussed on the question of how municipalities can effectively integrate the circular economy into their practices. Josef Galdberger explained how the Austrian circular economy strategy was transferred to Team Kreislaufwirtschaft and why municipalities play a key role in this. Andreas Van-Hametner presented the support services offered by Team Kreislaufwirtschaft, which range from counselling to the implementation of concrete measures.  

Three pioneering regions used concrete examples to show the many ways in which the circular economy is already being implemented in Austria, providing valuable inspiration for other municipalities: 

• Salzburger Seeland: Repair cafes, ReUse collection days, Carla shops 

• Ecoregion Kaindorf: Humus formation, composting, manure fermentation 

• Circulation region Melk / Scheibbs: Market garden centres, material flow analyses of regional value chains, phosphorus recovery from sewage sludge, school workshops: responsible use of resources 

Many of the participating municipalities are already KEM or KLAR! regions active. The funding programmes established by the Climate and Energy Fund enable municipalities to implement climate protection and climate adaptation measures at a regional level. The Team Circular Economy project builds on these structures and creates a nationwide network. 

The next webinar will take place on 18 March 2026. Interested municipalities and regions are cordially invited to take part in the dialogue and get involved. 

Lecturer: 

• Andreas Van Hametner - Resources Forum Austria 

• Josef E. Galdberger - BMLUK, Department V7 

• Margit Krobath - Model Region Manager Ecoregion Kaindorf 

• Gerhard Pausch - KEM Manager, Salzburger Seenland Regional Association 

• Johannes Eßmeister Innovation and network management, Verein Kreislaufregion Melk-Scheibbs 

The project is being carried out by the Resource Forum Austria, Circular Economy Forum Austria, Climate Alliance Austria and the Association of Climate Model Regions Austria and is funded by the Common Agricultural Policy of the federal government, the federal states and the European Union. The project is funded as part of the Austrian CAP Strategic Plan 23-27. 

Here you can download the presentations of the 1st webinar.