Opinion: Creating a circular economy
Embedding circular principles into development agenda is essential for a future where human well-being is intrinsically linked with planet’s health
By Tej Singh Kardam
Over the last 150 years, our industrial economy has been dominated by a one-way model of production and consumption — manufacturing goods from raw materials, selling, using and discarding as waste. This has resulted in negative environmental impacts. The concept of a circular economy (CE) has been discussed since the 1970s.
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German chemist Michael Braungart and American Architect McDonough, referred to as the father of the circular economy, pioneered this concept. The concept evolved from various explorations of sustainability and resource management — emphasising the design of products with the intent to reuse, recycle, minimise waste and maximise resource utilisation.
Global action on the circular economy gained momentum over the last decade. The concept is well established now in several countries, as it helps address issues such as waste, pollution, resource depletion, climate change, and biodiversity loss by ‘de-coupling’ economic activity from consumption of finite resources.
By adopting circular economy practices, India can save up to 11 per cent of its GDP by 2030 and 30 per cent by 2050, while reducing GHG emissions by 44 per cent
The circular economy is essentially a production and consumption system that relies on recycling, reuse, repair, remanufacturing, and refurbishing the existing material and product, with a goal of maintaining the value of the products and materials for as long as possible. This ensures that resources remain within the economy instead of becoming waste.
Each year, over 100 billion tonnes of resources are introduced into the global economy, but only 8.6 per cent are recycled. According to the 2021 Circularity Report, the global economy is just 8.6 per cent circular, with an ambition to reach 17 per cent by 2030 by targeting high-potential sectors.
Global Scenario
The World Economic Forum has taken several initiatives and acts as a forum for public-private collaboration to promote the transition to a circular economy. It hosts a series of major value chain action partnerships, works along global material value chains — from plastic, electronics, batteries, cars, to fashion and textiles. The circular economy for Net-Zero Industry Transition initiative aims to raise decarbonisation ambition for hard-to-abate materials such as steel, cement, chemicals and aluminium and help those industries realise 1.5 degrees pathways.
Country initiative in adopting circular economy
• The Netherlands: A frontrunner in Europe, the Dutch government has aimed for full circularity by 2050, and 50 per cent by 2030. It has attracted the world’s attention for combining socioeconomic considerations with the circular economy.
• China: An early adopter, China introduced the Circular Economy Promotion Law in 2008 after initiating efforts in 2005.
• Japan: A circular economy innovator since the 2000s, Japan has adopted ambitious waste management policies. Today, it boasts impressive recycling rates through a culture of collaboration and industrial innovation.
• Chile: After hosting COP-25, the country has made great strides in environmental areas and has launched a roadmap for a circular Chile by 2040. It aims to generate 1,00,000 green jobs by 2030.
• Germany (Adidas example): Acknowledging the plastic pollution crisis, Adidas has adopted a three-loop strategy — recycle, reuse and regenerate. It designs products that have multiple lifecycles, such as its 100 per cent recyclable running shoes, whose materials can be reused to make another pair with zero waste.
Indian Scenario:
The circular economy ecosystem in India is largely in a nascent stage. Realising the importance, the government has taken proactive steps towards transition by establishing a circular economy cell in NITI Aayog. India has introduced policies like plastic waste management and e-waste management rules to promote recycling and waste reduction.
India struggles with waste management. The country generates about 62 million tonnes of municipal solid waste annually, but only 70 per cent is collected, and just 30 per cent is processed. Some State governments have initiated action in waste management.
For example:
• In Andhra Pradesh, the Pollution Control Board has initiated a ‘zero waste and circular economy’ programme, emphasising minimising waste generation in industries, and maximising reuse. This is expected to generate employment opportunities for the youth. It is expected that the AP government may launch a circular economy policy soon.
• In Telangana, Jawahar Nagar in Hyderabad was the main waste dumping ground. Now, it houses one of the world’s largest single-location solid processing facilities. It has two large waste-to-energy plants, a plastic recycling unit and an advanced refuse-derived fuel plant, including a landfill that taps gas and converts it into compressed biogas for use as auto fuel.
Interlinking Circular Economy
With Biodiversity:
The circular economy can contribute significantly to…
• Reducing Pollution: Circular Economy aims to minimise waste and pollution, which are a direct threat to biodiversity, by designing durable, reusable and recyclable products
• Preventing habitat destruction: Reduces resource extraction, thereby preserving natural habitats
• Minimising resource extraction: Reduces demand for virgin materials as recycling and product lifespan extension lower the need to extract new raw materials from the environment
• Promoting ecosystem regeneration: By minimising waste and pollution, circular economy creates opportunities to restore degraded ecosystems and enhance their biodiversity.
With Sustainable Development Goals
• Goal 6: Circular economy directly contributes to practices like water recycling and reducing industrial water usage
• Goal 7: Encourages energy efficiency and transition to renewable energy sources
• Goal 8: Drives innovation, creates new markets for recycled materials and fosters sustainable businesses, leading to economic growth and job creation
• Goal 11: Indirectly, its principle can be applied to urban planning, waste management and infrastructure development, making cities more sustainable
• Goal 13: Reduces emissions, conserving biodiversity and protecting ecosystems, ie, climate change mitigation
• Goal 14: Promotes practices that reduce plastic waste and pollution entering waterways and oceans
• Goal 15: Helps reduce deforestation, promotes sustainable land management and minimises pollution
A circular economy offers a transformative approach to tackling urgent environmental and economic challenges. There is a need for India to adopt such practices, as it could save up to 11 per cent of its GDP by 2030 and 30 per cent by 2050, while reducing GHG emissions by 44 per cent.
Transition to a circular economy can create opportunities and benefits for society and the environment. A circular economy can drive economic growth, minimise environmental degradation, maximise resource efficiency, reduce waste and promote sustainable development.
Embedding circular principles into the global development agenda is essential for a future where human well-being is intrinsically linked with the planet’s health.
(The author is a retired Indian Forest Service officer)
