The Russian invasion of Ukraine, as well as the global pandemic, have diverted the world’s attention and in general, put climate change and the green economy onto the back burner of the political agenda.

Circular economy and integrated waste management are both concepts we often hear when discussing issues of ecological well-being or climate change. This way of imagining the economy has already gained a foothold in many countries. The idea of the circular economy itself implies a different attitude towards patterns of production and consumption, that which aims to minimize wasted resources.

On February 24th, 2022, Russia invaded Ukraine. This event not only marked the collapse of a painstakingly built global security architecture and destroyed the lives and livelihoods of millions of civilians in the heart of Europe, it also put the world on the brink of the largest nuclear, humanitarian, and ecological catastrophe since WWII.

On 13 April, ISET Policy Institute hosted an event: “War in Ukraine: Challenges, Risks, and Responses of the Georgian Economy”. The meeting brought together the policy community – including think tanks, experts, public and private sector leaders, and various development partners.

For the Georgian economy, 2021 was a year of gradual recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic. According to Geostat rapid estimates, the real GDP expanded by 10.7%, coming within 0.1 percentage points of the ISET-PI forecast from November 2021 and surpassing the NBG and IMF mid-year projections, which ranged between 8% - 8.5% y/y.