United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (ECE), United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and Ellen MacArthur Foundation

Our planet’s resources are used unsustainably. It’s time to move away from the "take-make-dispose" linear model and instead, embrace highly innovative pathways that promote sustainable consumption and production and a circular transition. Efforts to foster a sustainable, inclusive, resilient post-COVID recovery offer an opportunity to reverse current unsustainable trends and build a better future – for all of us. Deep structural reforms, strong public-private collaboration and wider economic recovery plans play a key role.

Far from being a simple resource management agenda, the circular economy offers practical and attractive avenues to decarbonize our system, with strategies ranging from design for materials recirculation to business models aimed at maximizing asset utilization rates. These have the potential to generate significant material costs savings—very relevant in the context of immediate cash flow challenges. Traceability and transparency can empower responsible choices, help retain value in supply chains, and overcome vulnerabilities, in high impact industries (e.g. textiles, food, building and construction, electronics and ITC, plastics, packaging).

More information about on the side-event on the UN-ECE website

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