The world’s natural resources are not infinite. It takes 18 months to generate the resources that the human population uses in only a year. Simply put, this is not a sustainable path for the planet’s future.
As things stand today, the human population is expected to use the equivalent of 2 Earths of renewable resources per year by 2050.
The effect of this overuse is a growing scarcity of resources. That’s why we must think again about what we throw away – seeing not waste, but opportunity.
With recycling recognised in the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) 2030, individuals, governments and companies can take direct action to support the global green agenda.
Recycling is a key part of the circular economy: It helps to protect our natural resources.
Each year, the ‘Seventh Resource’ (recyclables) saves over 700 million tonnes in CO2 emissions. This is projected to increase to 1 billion tonnes by 2030.
Recycling is a central element of the campaign to reduce the wasteful use of our natural resources & investing in businesses that are active in (the transition towards) the circular economy can pay off in the long term.
Sébastien Soleille, head of the energy transition at BNP Paribas said recently: “The ‘linear’ economic model, which follows a ‘take-make-dispose’ pattern, is not viable in the long term. A new model of production and consumption is needed: A circular one that consists in extending the life of products, reducing and reusing waste, and leasing and sharing goods and services. Some of the main challenges are to improve waste management, rethink the way we use our products, and revise the notion of planned product obsolescence.”
Exhibit 1: Five circular business models (The circular Economy)
Source: Investors Corner
Published: 18th March 2021