Circular Economy and Sustainable Development Goals PDF

Circular Economy and Sustainable Development Goals  The idea of the circular economy has two long strands, the first relating to the flow of Idea Behind materials through an economy, and the second concerned with thinking about the econ...

Circular Economy and Sustainable Development Goals  The idea of the circular economy has two long strands, the first relating to the flow of Idea Behind materials through an economy, and the second concerned with thinking about the economic conditions that might bring about Circular such a flow. Economy These two conceptual streams go back to the early days of the modern environmental movement in the 1960s and 1970s. Definition: Circular Economy (CE) is a concept that would turn goods at the end of their service life into resources for others, closing loops in industrial ecosystems, minimizing waste and following sustainable methods. The Circular Economy concept represents the most recent attempt to conceptualize the integration of economic activity and environmental wellbeing in a sustainable way. China as the first country to adopt CE Model: At the country level, CE has been adopted by China as the basis of their economic development, in 2008 China was among the first to adopt a circular economy law promoting the recovery of resources from waste. In that same year, the G8 environment ministers agreed on an action plan for the 3Rs: reduce, reuse and recycle. At the global level, the Sustainable Development Goals, adopted by the United Nations Member States in 2015, include many related ambitions. The Circular Economy places emphasis on the redesign of processes and cycling of materials, which may contribute to more sustainable business models and maximize ecosystem functioning and human well- being. More A bout CE: The scientific literature contains large number of best practice examples of CE from well known commercial enterprises and businesses or research groups in industrial countries. Many practices are useful models to recycle and reuse materials for the same or new products, reducing energy use and offering reduction of waste. Germany, United Kingdom, France, the USA, the Netherlands, China, Denmark, Sweden, Norway, Finland and other countries have advanced projects of Circular Economy after the concept was researched extensively and new solutions and innovations on reuse were discovered. The textile sector, the clothing sector and the durable goods sector (electrical, electronic, carpets, furniture, etc) have advanced some interesting examples of circular economy. Nike and H&M are already implementing aspects of the circular economy in their global business. Dutch technology company Philips refurbishes medical equipment. T he Circular Economy Model: H ow Does CE w ork? The circular economy is a new way of creating value, and ultimately prosperity. It works by extending product lifespan through improved design, servicing and relocating waste from the end of the supply chain to the beginning, using resources more efficiently by using them over and over, not only once. Governments are encouraging and, in some cases, requiring the adoption of circular economy principles and practices that would lead to more resource efficiency and less waste. W hy Governments are Encourag ing CE? In late 2015, the European Union adopted an ambitious Circular Economy Package with a message of “That while you are protecting the environment you can boost your economic development and provide new growth and new jobs.” By designing products with resource recovery (used resources), businesses can protect themselves from price changes in the raw- materials market by creating a more source of raw materials, as well as maintain longer-lasting relationships with consumers by ensuring contact throughout a product’s life cycle. W hy Governments are Encourag ing CE? There are also efficiency gains, as materials cost savings could be generated from circular business models. National economies, entrepreneurs and employees will benefit, as they form new businesses and create new jobs to fill niches created by the circular economy, through resource recovery and remanufacturing. Circular Economy and sustainable development: In the last decades there was a need worldwide for a transition to an environmentally friendly industrial and economic development and sustainable systems. Present problems such as biodiversity loss, waste of fresh water resources, soil desertification from excessive land use for food production, increasing air pollution in urban areas, plastic pollution in the oceans, and dramatic climate changes are threatening the whole environment. Circular Economy and sustainable development: For scientists in environmental economics sustainable development is a society objective defined at the macro-level and includes broad notions of ecological, economic and developmental sustainability, while the circular economy approach is mainly defined at the micro- level through a model of consumption and production. If the application of circular initiatives brings better results towards sustainability, then the circular economy becomes a tool for sustainable development. SDGs: Sustainable Development: