Circular economy
Thematic overview
Our unsustainable consumption and production patterns are driving negative planetary change. It is vital that we restore our natural capital, reduce the pressure on material assets, prevent waste and make the way we consume natural resources more efficient. Those strategies are captured by the framework of the circular economy.
As centers of resource consumption and waste production, cities are pivotal forces for building a circular economy. If implemented systematically, the circular economy can contribute to climate change mitigation, resilience, biodiversity restoration, poverty alleviation and job creation, while reducing pressure on municipal budgets.
