Completing the Picture: How the Circular Economy Tackles Climate Change

Ellen Macarthur Foundation, Material Economics

Released in collaboration with Material Economics, the paper sets out that while moving to renewables can address 55% of global GHG emissions, to achieve UN climate goals it is imperative to tackle the remaining 45%.

Concentrating on five key areas (cement, plastics, steel, aluminium, and food) Completing the Picture: How the Circular Economy Tackles Climate Change illustrates how designing out waste, keeping materials in use, and regenerating farmland can reduce these emissions by 9.3 billion tonnes. That is equivalent to eliminating current emissions from all forms of transport globally.

The paper demonstrates how businesses, financial institutions, and policymakers can build a thriving and resilient economy while playing an essential role in reaching climate targets.

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