The Circularity Gap Report 2023, a collaborative effort by Circle Economy and Deloitte, delivers a stark revelation on the current state of the circular economy. The findings expose a troubling decline in global circularity, plummeting to 7.2% from 9.1% in 2018. This decline is driven by escalating material extraction and usage, surpassing the entire 20th century’s total in just six years. The report advocates for a circular economy, asserting that fulfilling human needs requires only 70% of current material consumption. The linear “take-make-waste” model has breached five planetary boundaries, necessitating transformative shifts in material relationships. The proposed 16 circular solutions target key global systems, offering a path to reverse environmental overshoot. High-income (Shift), middle-income (Grow), and low-income (Build) countries are urged to collaborate for a purpose-driven circular transition. The report emphasizes public-private cooperation, policy shifts, and a departure from business-as-usual to achieve a circular economy that prioritizes immaterial well-being.
Visit their website to delve deeper into the present status of the circular economy, material extraction, efforts to reverse overshooting, circular solutions, country profiles, and to access the complete report for download.
