19 June 2018
Sitra Report Highlights Circular Economy as Critical to Achieving Paris Agreement Goals
Photo by Patrick Hendry
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According to the study, developing circularity of materials already in use could significantly reduce emissions from heavy industry.

The report recommends that the EU adopt circular business models, including stronger incentives to adopt such models, increased recirculation of materials and more material efficient products.

The UNFCCC also recently focused on the circular economy, co-convening a Technical Expert Meetings on Mitigation during the UN Climate Change Conference in Bonn in May, where participants highlighted the benefits of a circular economy.

6 June 2018: According to a study published by the Finnish Innovation Fund Sitra, the European Climate Foundation and partners, an improved circular economy can help achieve the goals of the Paris Agreement on climate change. The report titled, ‘The Circular Economy: A Powerful Force for Climate Mitigation,’ explores circular economy opportunities for steel, plastics, aluminum and cement, as well as for passenger cars and buildings that use these materials.

According to the report, extending a product’s lifespan through improved design and servicing, relocating waste to the beginning of the supply chain and using resources over and over can reduce emissions. For example, switching to circular use of steel, plastics, aluminum and cement could cut EU industrial emissions by more than half by 2050. To do this, the report recommends that the EU develop an industrial innovation strategy that emphasizes circularity and digitalization, as well as net zero emissions by 2050.

Switching to circular use of steel, plastics, aluminum and cement could cut EU industrial emissions by more than half by 2050.

The publication identifies measures that could reduce EU industrial emissions by 56%, or 296 million tons CO2, annually by 2050, more than half of what is needed to achieve net zero emissions. Globally, reductions could reach 3.6 billion tonnes per year during the same period. Industry accounts for around 24% of global CO2 emissions, which equaled 37 billion tonnes in 2017. The carbon budget to ensure that the global average temperature stays below 2°C above preindustrial levels has been estimated at 800 billion tonnes by the century’s end.

The report finds that developing circularity of materials already in use could significantly reduce emissions from heavy industry, and underscores that the future EU economy, in particular, must adopt circular business models, including stronger incentives to adopt such models, increased recirculation of materials and more material efficient products. [The Circular Economy: A Powerful Force for Climate Mitigation] [Report Landing Page] [Sitra Press Release] [UNFCCC Press Release]

The UNFCCC also recently focused on the circular economy, co-convening a Technical Expert Meetings on Mitigation (TEM-M) during the UN Climate Change Conference in Bonn in May, where participants highlighted the benefits of a circular economy, and discussed policies, technologies and innovative approaches to waste-to-energy and supply chain redesign solutions, and showcased achievements in implementing circular economy approaches. [UNFCCC Press Release on TEM] [SDG Knowledge Hub Story on Bonn Climate Change Conference]


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