Prof. Linda Godfrey is a principal scientist at the CSIR specialising in the circular economy in the context of developing countries – in particular, the circular economy as a development opportunity for Africa. She is an extraordinary professor at North-West University, where she lectures on integrated waste management systems and the circular economy. She holds a PhD in engineering from the University of KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa.

She manages Circular Innovation South Africa (CISA) on behalf of the Department of Science, Technology and Innovation. CISA aims to give effect to government’s science, technology and innovation aspirations to transition the country to a more circular, low-carbon and sustainable economy. Prof. Godfrey has led the CSIR’s research on the circular economy over the past decade, particularly in identifying the appropriateness of circular interventions and their current levels of implementation in various resource-intensive sectors of the South African economy.

She brings more than 25 years of sector experience to these roles and has provided strategic input to a number of local, regional and international waste and circular economy initiatives for the United Nations, European Union, World Bank and the South African Government, including various businesses and universities. She has published extensively in the fields of waste management and the circular economy, having authored or co-authored more than 140 research and contract specialist reports, over 50 international and local conference papers, and more than 50 book chapters and peer-reviewed journal articles. She is passionate about science communication and is a sought-after keynote speaker who also lectures internationally on the circular economy and solid waste management in the context of developing countries.

Expertise: Circular Economy; Waste management; Green economy