Page moved here: https://bit.ly/2RkMN54
Over the last four decades, the global use of materials almost tripled, from 26.7 billion tonnes in 1970, to 92.1 billion tonnes in 2017.
Not only has material use been increasing, it has been accelerating, and is forecast to grow to between 170 and 184 billion tonnes by 2050. The measure of success, however, will not be throughput-oriented, monetary GDP, alone.
To implement the circular economy we need to assess the global economy through the lens of mass: material throughput, value: financial value creation and carbon: climate emissions. Circle Economy introduces a new measurement framework that extends beyond material use to include financial value creation and extraction, plus greenhouse gas emissions - the Mass-Value-Carbon nexus. This metric enable us to truly see the full picture behind meeting key societal needs, such as housing, mobility and nutrition.
Looking at strategic global action plans through a triple-glazed MVC lens provides a balanced perspective that reveals clear relationships, synergies and trade-offs between all three elements of the equation. It is no longer enough to think of financial value as something created simply by turning extracted materials into products. Instead, the circular model sees the financial service value of existing assets being optimised and retained for as long as possible.
Two MVC Profiles Behind Key Societal Needs
Profile 1: Housing, Mobility and Consumables
Housing, Mobility and Consumables are together responsible for 66% of the total material footprint, 64% of the carbon footprint and 48% of the financial value footprint. These are sectors dominated by product ownership by the consumer, resulting in a relatively low use rate for individual products. Typical solutions lie in improving the utilisation rate, which can be achieved by prioritising access over ownership.
Profile 2: Nutrition
Nutrition represents the second largest material footprint with 20.1 billion tonnes and relies predominantly on organic materials. It incorporates agriculture and food processing to satisfy our dietary needs and has a the fourth largest carbon footprint of 6.5 billion tonnes of CO2 equivalent. What stands out, is the very low value addition along the nutrition supply chain. This seems to contradict the essential nature of this sector, but actually serves to illustrate how through photosynthesis it taps into potentially completely renewable sources.
"This report takes us much further along the road towards realising a circular economy that is part of a new framework for thinking about the economy based on 21st century not 19th century science.
— Ken Webster
Researcher at University of Exeter and Associate at Ellen MacArthur Foundation
