And finally, it means ensuring that clothes at the end of their life are collected and recycled or repurposed into new clothes, further reducing resource use. Does circular economy mitigate the extraction of natural resources Exploring the potential of circular economy to mitigate pressures on Increasing resource extraction poses considerable risks to the environment and human health, e.g. The analysis is based on a panel data covering 28 European countries during the period 20102019. References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1) Track citations by RSS feed, Downloads: (external link)http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0921800922002683 Moving towards a circular economy (CE) has become one of the main strategic initiatives on a global scale in the search for sustainable economic systems. Some features of this site may not work without it. World Resources Institute However, the mitigating effect of CE initiatives remains rather marginal when compared to the impact of economic growth. Products are kept in use for as long as possible, through repairing, recycling and redesign - so they can be used again and again. Introduction Global materials extraction has been estimated to range between 47 and 59 billion tonnes per year at the turn of the 21st century, and it is growing rapidly (Krausmann et al., 2008). Environmental advocates maintain that plastics are largely single-use: A 2020 Greenpeace USA survey found that plastics with resin codes #37 are virtually impossible to recycle, because of limited facility processing capabilities and insufficient market demand. The above five impact areas exhibit some of the social, environmental, and economic benefits of a circular economy, but realizing these benefits will require ambitious action. The circular economy concept is all about making better use of natural resources like forests, soil, water, air, metals and minerals. (PDF) Resource efficiency and the circular economy in Europe 2019 Many of the minerals and metals used in electronics are byproducts from the mining of aluminum, copper, lead and zinc, which are used across industries. What is circular economy and why does it matter? Although prohibited by EU legislation, cross-boundary transport of WEEE is known to take place between Europe and developing countries, where the environmental regulations are not as strict and labour costs are lower, creating additional environmental and health risks in these locations (Tansel, 2017). Less plastic waste in the ocean would benefit industries like fishing and tourism, as plastic pollution currently leads to $13 billion in costs and economic losses per year. Empirical evidence based on analysis of 28 European economies over the past decade Article Full-text available Sep 2022 ECOL. Economic growth and deforestation in African countries: Is the environmental Kuznets curve hypothesis applicable? Are you sure you want to print? She sees many corporate recycling pledges as a means of evading actual climate action. Climate change is a key part of that message. Presently, only part of the plastics collected can be reprocessed because of mixed streams, contamination and additive contents, which hamper recycling. The transport sector is responsible for several environmental impacts, including contributions to climate change through greenhouse gas emissions and depleting natural resources. RIS (EndNote, ProCite, RefMan) There are also various challenges related to the quality of waste materials, such as material heterogeneity and the presence of hazardous substances that hamper recycling. It is more urgent than ever to shift from linear, use-it-up-and-throw-it-away models to a circular economy: where waste and pollution are designed out, products and materials are kept in use for longer, and natural systems can regenerate. Loss of resources is also associated with loss of critical raw materials that are fundamental to the functioning of key industrial sectors and applications. ", Louise Laumann Kjaer & Daniela C. A. Pigosso & Monia Niero & Nynne Marie Bech & Tim C. McAloone, 2019. The analysis is based on panel data covering 28 European countries during the period 2010-2019. Other industry groups and corporations have also strongly disputed Greenpeaces report and broader thesis. How many premature deaths are attributed to air pollution? The analysis is based on panel data covering 28 European countries during the period 20102019. If 1 million metric tons of waste are landfilled, direct emissions equal about 274,000 tons of CO2-equivalent, Miranda Gorman, a senior fellow with the group, explained to me. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation. ", Glenn A. AguilarHernandez & Sebastiaan Deetman & Stefano Merciai & Joo F. D. Rodrigues & Arnold Tukker, 2021. Creating proper collection and processing systems protects workers and the environment from hazardous materials. (2018) There are more references available in the full text version of this article. For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Catherine Liu (email available below). As Europe is a net importer of textiles, the impacts avoided will mainly occur outside Europe. If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. However, the mitigating effect of CE initiatives remains rather marginal when compared to the impact of economic growth. Pioneering Moroccan solar plant step towards a greener world, Report: Primary Materials in the Emerging Circular Economy, New Independent Global Tailings Management Institute announced to drive mining industry safety standard. price competition from virgin resource alternatives, infrastructure capacity and the complexity of certain waste products. ", Lahcen, Bart & Eyckmans, Johan & Rousseau, Sandra & Dams, Yoko & Brusselaers, Jan, 2022. In a circular economy, things are made and consumed in a way that minimizes our use of the world's resources, cuts waste and reduces carbon emissions. Among the various . rebro University School of Business. A in natural resources foreign countries. Public profiles for Economics researchers, Curated articles & papers on economics topics, Upload your paper to be listed on RePEc and IDEAS, Data, research, apps & more from the St. Louis Fed, Initiative for open bibliographies in Economics, Have your institution's/publisher's output listed on RePEc. Changing consumption patterns is also crucial: For example, if the average number of times a garment is worn were doubled, greenhouse gas emissions from the textiles industry would be 44% lower. The good news is that we found . The circular economy concept is all about making better use of natural resources like forests, soil, water, air, metals and minerals. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:eee:ecolec:v:203:y:2023:i:c:s0921800922002683. "Namely, estimates show that the primary resources extracted annually linked to economic growth are roughly four times the resources saved by CE initiatives Kim Renshaw LinkedIn: Does circular economy mitigate the extraction of natural resources? In particular, complementary measures addressing behavioural consumption are needed if we want to achieve a sustainable development. The circular economy could unlock $4.5 trillion of economic growth and create 6 million new jobs through activities like recycling, repair and remanufacturing. Governments, businesses, civil society, finance institutions, research organizationseveryone has a role to play. Namely, estimates show that the primary resources extracted annually linked to economic growth are roughly four times the resources saved by CE initiatives. More than 100 billion tons of resources enter the economy every year everything from metals, minerals and fossil fuels to organic materials from plants and animals. Over 1.9 million tonnes of waste batteries are generated annually in Europe (Eurostat), and the amount is expected to increase in the future. ", Herv Corvellec & Alison F. Stowell & Nils Johansson, 2022. Europe relies heavily on material resources for almost all of societys activities. In particular, complementary measures addressing behavioural consumption are needed if we want to achieve sustainable development. The packaging sector is the single biggest contributor to plastic waste, generating around 16 million tonnes. Others agree that a reliance on mass-producing virgin materials poses a far bigger climate threat than limited recycling access, or habits such as wish-cycling. europa.eu domain. The strategy aims to transform the way plastics and plastic products are designed, produced, used and recycled. Well need to ensure that economic benefits are equitably distributed to maximize the opportunity of a circular economy. However, the mitigating effect of CE initiatives remains rather marginal when compared to the impact of economic growth. Such practices, Minter noted, underscore the gap between the publics good intentions and recyclings real capacity. The empirical. Reducing loss of resources from waste management is key to Among all possible climate actions, recycling ranks pretty low in its impact. And among recycling enthusiasts, one group is particularly keenpeople already concerned about climate change. In 2018, a European strategy for plastics in a circular economy was adopted. Definitions of the circular economy: Circularity matters. Multiple industries must shift to create systemic change. By maximising the lifetime of our products and materials and designing out waste, circularity reduces both our demand for raw materials and the environmental impact associated with obtaining them. Suite 800 Handle: RePEc:eee:ecolec:v:203:y:2023:i:c:s0921800922002683, http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0921800922002683, https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:eee:ecolec:v:203:y:2023:i:c:s0921800922002683. Date: 2023 And the group thinks that more emissions reductions are possible: In a 2020 report, TRP found that only about half of Americans have access to curbside pickup, and that many who do have access dont fully participate. Advantages. The recovery of materials from waste batteries is driven by both waste policies and the economic value of the materials. A lock ( WEEE contains precious metals and several critical raw materials that are fundamental to the functioning of key industrial sectors and applications. This is on top of 54 million tons of electronic waste (e-waste), of which just 17.4% gets collected and recycled. There is a real need for more research and policy guidance in the extractives industry, which is why we commissioned the report, says Barbara Hendrie, Director of the UNEP North America Office. Simon Dikau, Ulrich Volz Open Access June 2021. The circular economy is now within reach because of technology and Industry 4.0. While a net increase in jobs is important, another value-add of circularity is the opportunity to provide formal work and improved working conditions for informal laborers. Kim Renshaw LinkedIn: Does circular economy mitigate the extraction How much have new cars co2 emissions decreased? The Circular Economy: Swings and Roundabouts? One of the few things Americans largely agree on is recycling. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about. Moving towards a circular economy (CE) has become one of the main strategic initiatives on a global scale in the search for sustainable economic systems. protect the planet for this 203, issue C. Abstract: Circular economy strategies that reduce our use of resources can cut global greenhouse gas emissions by 39% (22.8 billion tons) and play a crucial role in averting the dangerous impacts of climate change. Artisanal and Small-scale Gold Mining, Kakamega County, Kenya Photo by Duncan Moore. Shifting to natural materials is a crucial part of the solution, but only if those materials are produced in a sustainable way and only if consumption habits change, too. This has a significant burden on the environment and contributes to the climate, biodiversity, and pollution crises. The dilemmas of relevance: exploring the role of Natural resources and Energy Consumption in managing climate crisis in Africa. Results confirm that promoting a shift towards more circular economic systems can reduce the extraction of primary resources. Reduce, Reuse, Reimagine: Sorting Out the Recycling System, Reduce, Reuse, Reimagine: Sorting Out The Recycling System, Junkyard Planet: Travels In The Billion-Dollar Trash Trade. ", Richard Blundell & Stephen Bond, 1995. The report, Primary Materials in the Emerging Circular Economy, also says that more research is needed to develop policies and practices that support resource-producing countries. Resources melioration and the circular economy: Sustainabili Results confirm that promoting a shift towards more circular economic systems can reduce the extraction of primary resources. the changes needed to The amount of WEEE generated in Europe is over 10 million tonnes per year, roughly 40% of which is currently collected for recycling (Huisman et al., 2017). Transitioning to a circular economy could create a net increase of 6 million jobs by 2030. Circular economy Circular material use Sustainable development Circularity indicators Secondary materials Abstract Moving towards a circular economy (CE) has become one of the main strategic initiatives on a global scale in the search for sustainable economic systems. non-functional recycling) very common. It gives more weight to solutions such as onshore wind turbines for that reason. protecting water and land), and by mitigating the climate crisis. : An Assessment of Material Flows, Waste Production, and Recycling in the European Union and the World in 2005. By 2030, all plastic packaging should be recyclable. And businesses that recover waste, including from mining operations, often see low margins, hampering efforts to promote circularity. Porter, too, worries that recycling can perpetuate consumption and waste. Despite the carbon involved in collection, transport, and processing, recycled aluminum, for example, is about 95 percent less energy-intensive to forge than its raw alternative. Not sending items for disposal avoids creating those emissions. This paper investigates the relationship between the extraction of natural resources and the CE, and also analyses the effects of critical socioeconomic drivers such as economic and population growth and economic structures. . SPIs McCarney said countries need to consider smart incentives for circular innovation both at the mine site and along the entire value chain. ", Fang, Wen Shwo & Miller, Stephen M. & Yeh, Chih-Chuan, 2012. The findings provide evidence that the circularity of economic systems should be approached from a systemic perspective that includes both production and consumption as well as waste management. LockA locked padlock Poor or inadequate collection is a serious challenge that is linked to almost all of the waste streams analysed. This makes a certain intuitive sense, as recycling has well-documented benefits for the planet and can reduce carbon emissions. In Europe, more than 9.5 million tonnes of textiles are consumed annually, and the yearly disposal of textiles is estimated to be 5.6 million tonnes in total. The corporate giants have defended themselves against the allegations and emphasized their commitment to sustainability. HTML/Text, Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:eee:ecolec:v:203:y:2023:i:c:s0921800922002683, Ecological Economics is currently edited by C. J. Cleveland. A .gov website belongs to an official government organization in the United States. Namely, estimates show that the primary resources extracted annually linked to economic growth are roughly four times the resources saved by CE initiatives. This briefing describes material losses in Europe for some key waste streams, namely waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE), end-of-life batteries, plastic waste and textile waste. 69 CMMU Empirical evidence based on analysis of 28 European economies over the past decade. What causes inequality in Material Productivity between countries? That last problem is sometimes called wish-cycling. If a municipal program receives a particular item that it cannot accept, it is subsequently hauled elsewhere for disposal, creating emissions and contributing to the waste stream. Search all of the site's content. Circular Economy Models in Industry: Developing a Conceptual Framework, Natural resources and technology - on the mitigating effect of green tech, VfS Annual Conference 2021 (Virtual Conference): Climate Economics, Modelling the circular economy: Introducing a supply chain equilibrium approach, The transformation to a circular economy: framing an evolutionary view, The Circular Economy and human needs satisfaction: Promising the radical, delivering the familiar, A Framework for Assessing the Contribution of Firms to Circular Economy: a Triple-Level Approach, Organizational transition management of circular business model innovations, Shortcomings of Transforming a Local Circular Economy System through Industrial Symbiosis: A Case Study in Spanish SMEs, The impact of urbanization on CO2 emissions: Evidence from developing countries, The Impact of Urbanization on CO2 Emissions: Evidence from Developing Countries, Climate Change Modelling and Policy Working Papers, Social sustainability in an evolving circular fashion industry: identifying and triangulating concepts across different publication groups [Soziale Nachhaltigkeit in einer sich entwickelnden zirkul, NachhaltigkeitsManagementForum | Sustainability Management Forum, Circular Economy Concept in the Context of Economic Development in EU Countries.
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