The Chair of Societal Transition and Circular Economy organized the second session of the seminar series “Freiburg Talks on Environment and Society” at the Institute of Environmental Social
Sciences and Geography of the University of Freiburg. On this occasion, we were happy to host one of the fathers of the circular economy: Prof. Walter R. Stahel.
He is founder and director of the Product-Life Institute (Switzerland), the oldest established consultancy in Europe devoted to developing sustainable strategies and policies for a circular
economy since 1983. Since 2013, he is a full member of the Club of Rome. His most well-known publications include ‘Jobs for Tomorrow, the Potential for substituting manpower for energy’ (1981)
and ‘The Performance Economy’ (2010). His talk “Circular Economy – Back to the Future” provided new sources of motivation towards a circular economy. This and related issues were discussed with
an audience of more than 50 students, researchers and professors of our School.
