Rahmi Aydemir / Aydemirler A.Ş.
The biggest obstacle to sustainable the production and sustainable society understanding is undoubtedly the economy. If a thought, system or any product has an economic gain or return, its social added value can be ignored in today’s world. It will be enough to explain why it is difficult for the concept of sustainability, which has been spoken since the 70’s, to be embedded in the corporate or social culture.
In this article, we will search for ways to overcome sustainability * and touch upon both the financial gains of the transition from the linear economy to the circular economy and the importance of solving other social and environmental problems of today.
The social and regulatory pressures, including the European Commission’s Circular Economy Action Plan, are driving the companies to create circular strategies. These action plans include redesigning products to require less material and energy; establishing product take-back plans; it encompasses the recovery and reuse of waste. Despite the growing momentum, the world is currently cyclical only 8.6%, but it seems far from developments that would limit global warming to 1.5 °C. Recognizing the largely under-utilized potential of the circular economy as a pathway to a low carbon future, we urgently need to scale these activities and understand the interconnected nature of cyclical and low-carbon agendas.
In addition to offering a great and successful economic opportunity, a circular economy addresses other challenges of our time; It plays an important role in addressing problems such as climate change, biodiversity loss, resource scarcity, waste and pollution. The studies demonstrate that the transition to a circular economy could generate additional $ 4.5 trillion in economic output by 2030.
The connection between climate resilience and the circular economy becomes clearer with a necessary fundamental change in the way the economy operates and creates value. With the pandemic, I expect more companies to cooperate to showcase the opportunities of a net zero-emission circular economy by collaborating with the pandemic, thus overcoming at least the economic crisis process created by the global recession while also steadily maintaining the declining emissions from the gains of the process.
However, the figures also give serious warnings in order for us to realize the emergency action plans as soon as possible. So much so that as of 2020, our material resource use exceeded the 100 billion tons limit for the first time in history. It is estimated to rise to 170 to 184 billion tons by 2050. (trend.sustainability.com) E-waste alone is worth at least $ 62.5 billion a year, which is more than most countries’ gross domestic product (GDP). For now, we only deal with 20% of global e waste. In the waste planet, which is the result of the linear economy approach, natural resources are consumed to produce products, then the product is used to feed the waste dump. Circular, green and blue economy concepts are alternative approaches that are produced with the concern of resource scarcity to prevent consumption culture. We can talk more clearly about the returns of this type of economy, by means of advanced modeling in recent years.
When we scrutinize China, which is one of the countries with the largest trade volume in the world, with its climate and production models; by only increasing the reuse of products and taking advantage of the e-waste potential (cyclic approach); until 2040
• Goods and services becoming more suitable for citizens,
• Transforming cities into more livable spaces,
• 50% reduction in fine particulate matter emissions,
• Traffic congestion is expected to decrease by 47% despite the increasing population.
As a result, it is going to be possible for concepts such as circular or green economy to reach their goals with a total struggle. Companies, stakeholders, governments, local governments and each individual will shape our tomorrow as the defining elements of such development plans.
* Linear Economics; operates as if resources never end, operating according to resource extraction, production, consumption and waste disposal plan.