Our culture of "discarding" things has a clear and demonstrated adverse effect on the world and the societies in it. Our current era is characterised by alarmingly high levels of pollution and waste production, a depletion of natural resources, a decline in the world's biodiversity, and rising average temperatures, all of which can be traced back,in some manner, to an increase in human consumption.
The circular economy is a critical component of climate change mitigation and ESG challenges. A circular economy is one that is designed to be restorative and regenerative, with the goal of keeping products, components, and materials at their optimum utility and worth at all times, in both a biological and a technical cycle. A circular economy is crucial to SDG 12 Responsible Consumption and Production, and research indicates that industries can benefit from higher margins if they shift to more circular business models, such as 'product-as-a-service.' As a result, despite receiving little attention to far,innovative companies, solutions, and technology that enable the shift to a circular economy stand to benefit.
Our research identifies 12 interventions across five sectors beyond energy can mitigate climate impact by curbing GHG emissions. Encompassing actions across sectors beyond energy these solutions can keep the planet on a 1.5-degree trajectory.