ECOS’ Post

As Western nations in the Northern Hemisphere, moving a #circulareconomy forward is our responsibility to the rest of the globe. After centuries of reckless pillaging of resources from the south and mass environmental destruction, this is simply our (with the help of some other, large, eastern nations and the neccessary input and direction of the global south) situation to remedy. And it is possible. It will take a collective. It will mean sacrifice and it will need a mindset shift from those with the most influence. So be vocal. Lead with hope and positivity. Challenge the status quo and challenge yourself. The future is there to be formed.

“There are two ‘circularity gaps’: first, there’s the gap between our economy’s current level of circularity and our desired level of circularity, and second, there’s the gap between how widespread the circular economy concept is and how much it’s being applied,” says Ivonne Bojoh, CEO of Circle Economy Foundation. Yet the success of circularity’s mainstream profile is deceptive. Circle Economy Foundation reports that global circularity is going in reverse. The share of secondary materials consumed by the global economy decreased from 9.1% in 2018 to 7.2% in 2023—a 21% drop over five years. And consumption continues to accelerate. In the same period, we have consumed over 500 gigatonnes. That's 28% of all the materials humanity has consumed since 1900.

#CircularEconomy is not sustainability 2.0. It's not an umbrella term for environmental efforts. It is not just about recycling. Circular economy is a new economic model. It's the collective efforts to change from our current linear (take-make-dispose) economy to a circular one -- where already-extracted resources and materials are valued. A circular economy will support all other environmental efforts; it will enable sustainability, net zero, regeneration, climate action, ESG, etc to thrive. How successful will all these actions be in a linear economy? Where emissions-intense new resource extraction is the "go to", and where valuable materials are wasted. Won't be an easy shift. One action item is we have to update much of our soft-system infrastructure (policies, processes, permits, fee structures, incentives, tax laws, by-laws, procurement, economic development, etc) to support a new circular economy. Circular Innovation Council is here to help. More information and to contact the team: https://lnkd.in/gbuQeUHK ♻🌎 #CircularConseptsIntoAction #Reuse #Upcycling #CEisClimateAction #KeepTheMoleculesInPlay #CircularEconomicDevelopment

Yes! Yes! Yes! Andrew, you have raised a critical issue in the dialogue on Circularity and Sustainability. Without a sustainable model that matches costs to deliver with a recurring revenue model, we will continue to see a landscape littered with one off demonstration projects and failed start ups. In the universe of non-profits relied on to deliver reuse options, there is a sad opinion that they should do so without funding. Even many of furniture, removal and housewares businesses who claim circularity based on donations don’t get it. Dumping a palette ( or 20) of goods ( King Sized pillow cases? Accent cushions? )at our loading dock creates a burden on us. Andrew is dead on. Let’s get real about how to be circular. #furniturebank #sustainability #circular economy

How circular is the world? From the point of view of materials recycling, the world ifs unfortunately flat. According to the last Circularity Gap Report (https://lnkd.in/dtNCW4ad) only 7.2% of raw materials that entered in production cycles were recovered. Circular Economy (CE) is a model based on reuse and regeneration of goods and materials. It’s not simply based on materials recycling. Main features of CE are: increased product repair and remanufacture, increased material recycling, more robust long-lived products through design, increased produce re-use and repair, increased material productivity, improved asset utilization, and modified consumer behavior. CE requires implementation of new business models, new fiscal policies, new technological solutions, eco-design, Industrial Symbiosis, improved materials and energy exchanges among cities and industries.

❗️Now is the time to accelerate the shift towards a more circular Europe (and beyond)! Despite legislative steps forward over the past five years, efforts to transform Europe’s largely linear, ‘throw-away’ economy into a circular one will require further bold action and strong implementation of existing measures. Decisive action is essential to drastically reduce waste, prioritise reduction of resource use, improve recycling rates and improve the introduction of products that are designed for circularity from the outset, according to a major European Environment Agency (EEA) state of play assessment on the circular economy, published today. 🔗https://lnkd.in/gatTdMa5 #circulareconomy #Europe #naturalresources Netherlands

A circular economy aims to reduce resource consumption, environmental impact, and reliance on finite resources by continuously circulating materials. Visit our blog to read about the roadblocks in "closing the loop" and how we move pass them. https://lnkd.in/eBpenSBc

Professor John Thwaites, Chair of the Circular Economy Ministerial Advisory Group and Chair of Monash Sustainable Development Institute and Climateworks Centre, shares insights into Australia's journey towards a circular economy on ABC Radio National Breakfast. For government and businesses, this is a pivotal moment. There's finally a roadmap towards #reducing, #reusing, and #recycling, paving the way for a sustainable future. Tune in here: https://loom.ly/wzguLMc

💶🇪🇺♻ MAKING THE BUSINESS CASE FOR THE CIRCULAR ECONOMY 👇 Background: 🟢 A new report examines the business case for EU action on the circular economy, which is currently receiving growing political and policy interest. 🟢 It provides key recommendations in view of European Commission President Von der Leyen’s commitment to proposing a new Circular Economy Act. 🟢 This will be especially significant for businesses eager to innovate for sustainability and fully harness the potential of the circular economy transition. Recommendations: 🟢 Policy and governance are crucial drivers of the business transition to a circular economy. 🟢 Although several important circularity initiatives have been adopted, the overall strategy lacks the priority and coherence needed. 🟢 The EU must implement a more ambitious and comprehensive policy framework that clearly shifts from a linear to a circular economy. 🟢 This will require: - reframing the approach to waste - setting new goals and metrics for materials management - ensuring policy coherence - delivering on existing commitments - establishing consistent and ambitious standards - reducing transaction costs for circular projects - providing fiscal incentives for circular activities 🟢 Rather than treating circularity as a discrete environmental issue, it must be central to economic strategy and a vital part of the new Industrial Deal. 🟢 Accompanied by senior-level decision-making responsibility within the European Commission to ensure effective oversight and implementation. Read the full report here 👉 https://lnkd.in/dh6jsdWf Corporate Leaders Groups We Mean Business Coalition Wuppertal Institute for Climate, Environment and Energy Cambridge Institute for Sustainability Leadership (CISL) #circulareconomy #circularity #business #eupolicy #europeanunion #eu

Opening keynote by Jill Riseley AM shares some hard hitting circular economy facts from the Circularity Gap Report: - In the last five years, humans have consumed 28% of all materials that humanity has consumed since 1900. - Australia has surpassed the USA as the worlds largest consumer of textiles. - As the Human Development Index rises, so too does consumption, HOWEVER, this is no longer increasing people’s wellbeing. - 6/9 of the Planetary Boundaries have been exceeded. Key takeaways: ⭕️ Shift the goalposts to wellbeing, ⭕️ Get the economics right to enable and incentivise a circular economy. ⭕️ Work together on reform to align environmental goals. Thanks Jill! https://lnkd.in/gYryrshv #WMRR #ENVIRO2024