Both the circular economy and carbon net zero are somewhat buzzwords currently. They both refer to the achievement of sustainability that is needed to halt the climate crisis. This blog aims to distinguish the difference between the two.
The circular economy is a developmental, societal model, aiming to minimise the negative impact of human day-to-day operations through the application of principles related to the ‘3 Rs’: reduce, reuse and recycle (Ellen MacArthur Foundation, 2022). Whilst doing this, the aim is also to maintain the highest utility and value of products, components and materials (Ellen MacArthur Foundation, 2022).
The development of a circular economy is a priority if we are to move forward into a sustainable future. Ensuring we reduce, and eventually eliminate avoidable waste, and reduce the amount of raw materials we extract to create packaging, is key.
Carbon net zero refers to the point at which a business or operation releases no more emissions than they are able to remove or eliminate. Achieving carbon net zero is a journey that all businesses will need to take over the course of the next decade. The UK government has set a deadline for carbon net zero by 2050, meaning that by then, businesses must be using clean, renewable energy, and where they do release greenhouse gases, they must remove them from the atmosphere via carbon capture or other extraction methods.
The circular economy and carbon net zero go hand in hand if we are to achieve sustainable industries for the future.
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