Let’s close the gap on circularity
By adopting a circular approach to resource management, we can unlock new economic opportunities. Let’s co-create a new era of circularity.
Creating a new era of circularity to unlock new economic opportunities
Every year, global resources are being depleted faster than the year before. This results in limited or scarce resources and a global abundance of waste.
By fundamentally re-thinking how we produce, consume, process and re-use our resources, we can turn the tide and generate new economic opportunities.
To close the gap, we must enable a new paradigm of low-carbon and recycled building materials. We must increase our global capacity for treating and re-using both water and waste. And we must implement smart low-carbon solutions for energy and heating.
Let’s co-create a new era of circularity and resource management.
in net savings can be achieved for companies in the EU alone through waste prevention, eco-design and re-use (EMF, 2015)
Resource management challenges
- : 50%
of the world’s extracted raw materials go into the built environment (BBC, 2021)
- : 2/3
of the world’s population may face water shortages by 2025 (WWF, 2022)
- : 75%
of all energy produced by humanity is squandered as heat waste (Yale, 2018)
What actions are needed to mainstream circularity & ensure sustainable use of materials?
RECOMMENDED STORIES ON CIRCULARITY
The state of circularity in the Nordics
Find out more about Nordic companies’ readiness and their strategic priorities for the transition to a circular economy.
Feb 24, 2023
The case for building (next to) nothing
Build nothing, build less, build clever – exploring the actions needed to slash the embodied carbon gap.
Jun 14, 2020
8 circular actions to cut 60% CO2 in buildings
With two thirds of global CO2 emissions linked to materials management, the buildings sector can play a key role in slashing emissions through recycling, renovation, and resource optimisation.
A HOLISTIC APPROACH TO CLOSING THE GAP
HOW WE CLOSE THE CIRCULARITY GAP
The world’s most efficient water treatment centre
The Aarhus Rewater facility pushes the boundaries in sustainable water treatment by generating surplus energy and utilising the resources in wastewater to produce nutrients, proteins, foods, and chemicals.
Scaling recycling to tackle growth in plastic waste
Globally, only 9% of plastic waste is recycled. A first of its kind plastic recycling facility in Denmark demonstrates that this challenge can be overcome by processing almost half the nation’s plastic waste.