Farrukh Iqbal

Curriculum

My research is focused on promoting 'circular economy principles in the humanitarian sector'. It aims to enhance sustainability and efficiency by formulating a bio-circular framework for humanitarian organizations. This aligns with the aspirations of the CIMANET pilot project, of which I am a part. This research addresses the pertinent need to innovate solutions to improve resource efficiency and support sustainable operations. The suggested framework consists of five building blocks and 16 constituent elements contextualized for humanitarian organizations. The framework is currently being discussed with humanitarian organizations through interviews and focus groups. This research not only helps policymakers but also benefits Finnish industries by helping them integrate bio-circularity into their operations, positioning them as leaders in this sector.

Bio-circularity is different from circularity with its inherent notion of the concept attributed as “regenerative”. Given that circularity helps the researchers to understand the idea of sustainability, the extension to bio-circularity helps to refine the conception of regenerative processes. Though its meaning and application are still limited but it is viewed as a futuristic area with lots of societal and practical benefits, the trend can be observed with more interest in this field since past some years. Finland is no exception and that’s why CIMANET pilot project has been started with a futuristic vision of producing researchers in this field.

Wood as an abundant resource is also considered as a biomaterial which can be used to foster bio-circularity. Forest industry in Finland thinks that lingo-cellulosic structure from wood can be used to make some innovative biomaterials which can be scaled up and take a lead in this futuristic area. It is difficult to foresee the demand of this area in terms of its applicability and cost, but it is possible to make some bio-circular frameworks for industries to grab a long-term view of its integration in regenerative processes. The idea is that by the time biomaterials are scaled up, the framework should be ready for its speedy integration from the operations and business perspective.

Education information