9 Key Findings on Global Progress Toward a Circular Economy

It’s no secret that the world has a habit of consuming cheap products that are destined for the dumpster. The global economy uses approximately 100 billion metric tons of resources each year, the equivalent weight of more than 16,000 Great Pyramids of Giza. This includes fossil fuels, metals, minerals, and plant- and animal-derived products such as food, wood and clothes.  

Approximately 75% of that total comes from non-renewable resources. Relentless mining, agricultural expansion and trash disposal are damaging the environment and leading to concerns about global resource scarcity. The problem will only become more severe — global resource extraction is projected to surge by a staggering 150% by 2060.

However, by employing the principles of “reducing, reusing and recycling,” — a basis for the circular economy — the world can help prevent the triple planetary crisis of climate change, loss of biodiversity, and excessive pollution and waste, while creating a more resilient and efficient economic system.

For the vision of a circular economy to become a reality, the world needs to take a holistic, lifecycle approach that considers all stages of a product’s journey from the moment raw materials are extracted from the earth to the end of the product’s useful lifetime. In this more sustainable system, overconsumption is reduced and products are designed from the start to last longer, be repairable and be easily recycled.

Many countries have begun to embrace the concept of a circular economy, most notably in the European Union. But as of yet, the world isn’t making enough headway to achieve a sustainable balance of resource use. Here are 9 things to know about global progress toward a circular economy.