Overview
Circular Economy Ministerial Advisory Group (CEMAG) was established in February 2023 by the Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water (DCCEEW) to advise the Australian Government on opportunities and challenges for Australia’s transition to a circular economy. The group’s work culminated in a final report delivered in December 2024, setting out recommendations across key economic and environmental sectors.
Mission and focus areas
CEMAG’s core mission is to accelerate Australia’s shift to a circular economy by designing out waste and pollution, keeping materials and products in use for longer, and regenerating natural systems. It addresses thematic areas including built environment, food and agriculture, resources and water. The group aligns with sustainable finance and ESG (Environmental, Social and Governance) integration by recommending inclusion of circular-economy metrics in sustainable finance taxonomies and green bond frameworks, and by linking circular principles to net-zero, materials productivity and investor settings.
Structure and governance
CEMAG is an independent advisory body appointed by the Minister for the Environment and Water and operates under DCCEEW’s oversight. It is chaired by Professor John Thwaites AM and comprises experts from academia, industry and research. The group met regularly over 2023-24, engaging with ministers across portfolios, stakeholder roundtables and industry submissions to inform its workplan.
Programs and offerings
CEMAG’s key output is its final report — The Circular Advantage — which contains 14 core recommendations and 12 sector-specific recommendations for the transition to a circular economy. The group also released an interim report in April 2024, and published meeting‐communiqués, stakeholder engagement summaries and resources. The report provides valuable practitioner-oriented insights, guidance for sustainable finance frameworks, and policy design, offering useful tools and evidence for finance professionals, ESG practitioners and industry leaders.
