The Conference Report of WRF2019 ‘Closing Loops – Transitions at work’ (Antwerp, Belgium) presents the key takeways and highlights from the conference discussion, with a focus on the following topics:

• Cities and regions as laboratories for circular change
• Exploring the future role of ports in a low carbon, circular economy
• 1.5-degree lifestyles
• Preserving soil and land
• Making digital technologies drivers for circular change
• The global metal flows in a circular economy
• Sustainable materials and waste management in a circular economy
• Circular economy as enabler for climate policy
• Bio-economy: circular by nature