Leading the Circular Economy: Reshaping the future

As the world’s population is growing, so are its needs. A reality which pushes to be more inventive to improve our quality of life, whilst protecting our planet and its resources. The circular economy redefines our traditional economic model - based on the linear “extract - produce - consume - throw” system - which has now reached its limits. By saving resources, circular city promotes growth, creates jobs, secures supplies and reduces global carbon emissions. Conserving natural resources means taking steps to improve the way we use them. Now is the time we make a fundamental shift towards the circular economy.

This isn’t recycling rebranded, it’s full supply chain management taking into account resource management across the board - water, waste and energy. There are three players in this game, the brands that produce the products, the consumers that buy them and companies like Veolia, an enabler giving products a second, third or fourth life.

Veolia believes we can do more. The company is constantly developing innovative ways to companies and cities to gain access, to preserve and replenish precious resources. Replenishing resources means, for example, recycling materials (plastic, paper, glass, precious metals), developing renewable and recovered energy sources (biomass, biogas, fatal energy) and transforming waste into compost or energy. Preserving resources can start with reducing consumption and developing energy efficiency and systemic approaches (functional economy, industrial ecology, eco-design). As a development model and engine for growth, the circular economy is a route to job creation at a local level: the European Commission estimates that 2.8 million jobs could be created in Europe over the next few years.