Ali Abbas announced as Australia's first Chief Circular Engineer
One of Australia’s leading chemical engineers has today been announced as Australia’s first Chief Circular Engineer, taking a new role at Circular Australia to accelerate the Australian transition to a circular economy.
Professor Ali Abbas.
Professor Ali Abbas, Acting Head of School, School Chemical and of Biomolecular Engineering, Director of the Waste Transformation Research Hub and Sydney Nano's Deputy Director for Industry, Innovation & Commercialisation will work with Circular Australia to accelerate action towards an Australian circular economy by 2030.
“I’m delighted to be joining Circular Australia as the first Chief Circular Engineer to support the critical work of removing barriers to an Australian circular economy by 2030,” said Professor Abbas.
“The circular economy is a systems framework based on three principles – the elimination or ‘design out’ of waste and pollution, the circulation of products and materials at their highest value, and the regeneration of nature,” he said
“By tapping into advances in chemical engineering and materials science and reimagining how goods are manufactured, we can create circular economies, where the vast majority of goods and materials are repurposed.”
Circular Australia CEO & Managing Director Lisa McLean said: “The transition to a net zero circular economy is one of the biggest challenges of our generation.”
“With science and innovation leading, Australia can deliver new industries and hundreds and thousands of jobs - positioning itself as a global circular economy powerhouse.
“Circular Australia is excited to be working with Professor Abbas who is bringing fresh ideas and new approaches to traditional engineering practices and driving innovative design thinking for the new circular economy."
Professor Abbas at the opening of the Net Zero Initiative and Australian Circular Economy Conference. Image: Victoria Esber
The appointment of Professor Abbas as Chief Circular Engineer builds on Circular Australia’s national leadership working with businesses, government and researchers on circular economics, metrics, circular supply chains and its taskforces and research.
A circular economy aims to redefine growth, focusing on positive society-wide benefits.
Decoupling economic activity from the consumption of finite resources, and designing waste out of the system, it is based on three principles: 1. Design out waste and pollution; 2. Keep products and materials in use, and; 3. Regenerate natural systems.
The value of the Australia circular economy is estimated to be $1.9 trillion.
