The Global Cooperation and Training Framework (GCTF) is a platform jointly established by Taiwan and the United States in 2015, with the participation of countries such as Japan, Australia, and Canada. It serves as a platform for knowledge exchange and technical training for partner countries.
Shadow Chen, CEO of the Circular Taiwan Foundation, was invited to attend the international workshop "Setting an Ambitious Path towards a Net-Zero Future" in September. She shared Taiwan's experiences and practical cases in transitioning from a recycling economy to a circular economy. This session was chaired by Ying-Ying Lai, Director General of the Resource Recycling Administration of the Ministry of Environment of Taiwan, with other speakers including Jo-Anne St. Godard, Executive Director of the Circular Innovation Council from Canada; Josefina Sallen, researcher of RISE Research Institutes of Sweden; and Søren Xerxes Frahm, CEO of Artlinco in Denmark. Together, they discussed the risks of the linear economy, the necessity of circularity, and examples from various industries and sectors. The discussion also covered policies that countries can collaboratively work on, including circular procurement and the right to repair.
Shadow Chen also shared a quote from American architect and inventor Buckminster Fuller: "You never change things by fighting the existing reality. To change something, build a new model that makes the existing model obsolete." She invited the representatives from over 25 countries present to join forces in making the linear economy obsolete.