Recent research carried out by the European Environment Agency has highlighted that the food, construction, energy, and textile sectors are responsible for about 90% of the pressure on global biodiversity. To address this issue, the concept of a circular economy offers an integral solution, but it requires more focus on biodiversity. This report identified three key areas where a circular economy can have a positive impact on biodiversity.
Farmer picking fresh avocado in a garden.
Firstly, reducing primary resource demand is vital. This can be achieved by promoting circular economy actions such as prolonging the lifespan of products and recycling materials, leading to a decreased need for primary resources and less pressure on biodiversity.
Secondly, preventing pollution is crucial. By avoiding waste generation and reducing the use of hazardous substances, we can protect natural environments and human health while also facilitating reuse and recycling.
Lastly, biodiversity-friendly sourcing is an important aspect that demands more attention. Our resources should be responsibly sourced, avoiding harm to natural systems and promoting regenerative practices whenever possible.
Read more: The roots of a sustainable future: integrating trees into a circular economy
A circular economy aims to transform our current linear take-make-waste model into a closed-loop system. By doing so, it minimises the use of materials and energy while alleviating the environmental pressures linked to resource extraction, emissions, and waste. This shift to a circular economy leads to more sustainable production and consumption patterns, benefiting biodiversity and nature through reduced resource extraction and waste. However, the potential benefits of a circular economy for biodiversity have been somewhat overlooked.
Circular economy illustration.
Fortunately, recent initiatives like the European Union's biodiversity strategy for 2030 and global agreements at the United Nations Biodiversity Conference have recognised the need for circular economy actions to address biodiversity loss.
The drivers of biodiversity loss include habitat loss, overexploitation of natural resources, climate change, pollution, and invasive alien species. These drivers stem from our current production and consumption systems, and transformation at the system level is necessary to mitigate biodiversity loss.
To illustrate the potential impact of circular economy actions, researchers examined the food, construction, and textile sectors. For example, recycling nutrients from agricultural waste into animal feed and fertilisers, using seaweed to produce sustainable food and fertilisers, and implementing circular practices in construction and textiles can significantly reduce pressure on biodiversity.
Read more: Study reveals the alarming impact of food production on biodiversity loss
A biodiversity-inclusive circular economy requires attention to biodiversity-friendly sourcing efforts. This entails minimising harm to nature and adopting regenerative production practices, such as sustainable pest management and water conservation. By adopting a systemic approach that integrates a circular economy and biodiversity, policymakers, businesses, and citizens can contribute to a more sustainable future.
Policymakers should develop frameworks that consider the entire life cycle of goods and services while integrating biodiversity and circular economy considerations. Businesses can play a role by developing innovative circular design options, enhancing the reusability and recyclability of products, and ensuring responsible sourcing. Lastly, citizens can make a difference by reducing consumption levels, demanding biodiversity-friendly choices, and considering the environmental impact of their diets.
Embracing a biodiversity-inclusive circular economy is essential to protect and restore nature. By implementing circular economy principles, reducing primary resource demand, preventing pollution, and adopting biodiversity-friendly sourcing practices, we can mitigate the pressure on biodiversity and create a sustainable future that respects and safeguards our biodiverse planet. DGB Group is dedicated to supporting nature to flourish through sustainability. Our biodiversity and carbon projects are designed to ensure a sustainable, biodiverse future for the environment and communities and incorporate the principles of a circular economy so that no materials are wasted. We believe that, together, we can create a more sustainable future.
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