Circular Economy – transforming change into economic prosperity

当前全球经济必须完成两个星期一umental tasks by 2050, seemingly at odds with each other. On the one hand, to sustain a pace of massive global growth to support a 10 billion population (UN) includes a growing group of middle-class consumers. On the other hand, to urgently reduce depletion, waste, and GHG emissions, stay within our planetary boundaries. To succeed at both, a radical change of plans is needed: from a linear to a circular economy. It's not only the right tool but also the biggest economic opportunity.

The circular economy: the way and the Opportunity

Did you know that nearly half of the emissions that cause climate change come from how we make and use materials, products, and food?

The good news? We have a momentous opportunity to transform our throwaway economy into one where resources are circulated and nature is regenerated. It is crucial and urgent to transition to a circular economy so we can successfully tackle climate change and biodiversity loss, by cutting greenhouse gas emissions, waste, and pollution.

The even better news? The circular economy has the potential to scale fast across industries to create value and jobs while increasing the resilience of supply chains and delivering massive economic growth potential, estimated at 1.8 trillion EUR per year (Ellen MacArthur Foundation) in Europe alone. Globally, it is a multi-trillion-dollar opportunity.

The adoption of circular practices also turns out to be great for risk reduction (Ellen MacArthur Foundation) through business model diversification, decoupling economic growth from resource use and environmental impact, and better anticipation of stricter regulation and changing customer preferences. It’s a win-win across the board.

As virgin resources become scarcer, policymakers more determined to meet environmental targets, and customers more demanding transparency and action on climate change, the businesses who commit to tackling these challenges gain a competitive advantage.