Circular economy could reduce EU_CO2 emissions by almost 1 billion tonnes

The implementation of 17 circular economy measures in the European Union (EU) could reduce the region’s impact on climate change by 22% or almost 1,000 million tonnes of CO2 equivalent, while reducing its footprint on biodiversity loss by 19% and air pollution by 25%.

These are the main conclusions of a report published on Tuesday by the European Environment Agency (EEA), which points out that greater circularity within the EU would contribute “substantially” to achieving climate and environmental ambitions. The report has estimated the potential benefits of implementing 17 circular economy interventions in sectors such as housing, mining, food and mobility. Among the conclusions, the study highlights that implementing sustainability measures would not only have a positive impact on the environment, but would also improve the EU’s security of supply, by reducing the region’s dependence on strategic raw materials produced in other parts of the world. In addition, these measures would also generate economic opportunities, by shifting value creation from material extraction to other sectors of the economy and reducing resource consumption would benefit not only the EU, but also the rest of the world, as the region imports large quantities of products. In this regard, the report points out that two-thirds of the benefits in terms of climate change and pollution would occur within the EU, while the remaining third would be generated outside it. As for the loss of biodiversity, the distribution would be practically equitable. In addition, the speed at which these interventions are implemented makes a big difference in the benefits they can bring, as applying a high level of ambition would generate environmental and climate benefits that are 80% higher than those of a medium level of ambition.

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