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Technologies in the Circular Economy
What is a circular economy? 4 Making this monumental shift will require substantial new investments in low-carbon technologies. It also requires efforts in terms of adaptation strategies contributing to carbon neutrality. Circular economy promises to significantly contribute to climate change mitigation as well adaptation efforts through a combination of improved material management, dematerialisation and systemic change. It aims to eradicate waste – not just from manufacturing processes, but also throughout the life cycles and uses of products and their components. This approach contrasts sharply with the linear mind-set embedded in most of today’s operations. Circular economy extends a resource’s lifespan by improved design and relocating waste from the end of the supply chain to the beginning in effect using it more efficiently again and not just once.5 Why are new solutions needed to meet the Paris Agreement? 6 Technology is central to enabling and driving value in the circular economy.7 As we enter the Fourth Industrial Revolution, new technologies carry immense opportunities to transform the way we address mitigation and adaptation. Technological advancement has enabled the decoupling of resource use from economic growth across industries and on a global scale through the development and implementation of circular business models, driving new processes, new communication channels and new operational efficiencies.8 Technologies for mitigation are fairly straightforward. They have a clear objective (reducing carbon emissions) and are target specific. While on the other hand, technologies for adaptation are more complex and challenging. There is an inherent uncertainty of impacts and vulnerabilities. Also there are limited examples which are site specific and the technology implications are not always evident. They are also marred by complex investment decisions. How do we address this? As Peter Diamandis argues in his book "Abundance: The Future Is Better Than You Think" that exponentially growing technologies will enable us to have the power to exceed the basic needs of humankind. Development Alternatives (DA) has been focussing on such technologies that would help bridge these gaps. A Technology Needs Assessment for four states conducted by DA showed that technologies employed in the water and agriculture sector for adaptation focus on addressing issues of drought and scarcity, floods and over-abundance, water quality degradation, improved weather forecasts, water conservation, drip irrigation and changes in crop types and planting, among others. The consultations and analysis of these technologies showed that the top ones are focussed on recharging groundwater aquifers, reusing rain water for other household purposes, efficient irrigation practices; all of which have a strong resonance in the circular economy concept focussing on efficiently using a resource again and again, not just once. Development Alternatives is also addressing reducing emissions via the circular economy resource efficiency concept in the building and construction sector. The cement industry alone is responsible for approximately 5% of current emissions globally.9 Its work on encouraging the production and usage of fly ash bricks is one step in that direction. This offers an opportunity for productive utilisation of waste while preventing the emission intensity of the units and providing decent jobs to the local community. Additionally, in the construction sector recycling may provide a solution but does not eradicate the root cause of waste. Therefore the focus must be on incentivising energy efficiency measures and focussing on reducing emissions per tonne of cement produced. LC3 is one such type of cement that is based on a blend of limestone and calcined clay. LC3 can reduce CO2 emissions by up to 30%, is made using limestone and low-grade clays which are available in abundant quantities, is cost effective and does not require capital intensive modifications to existing cement plants. DA is also further looking at substituting concrete with bamboo and designing modular buildings in Uttarakhand and Himachal Pradesh. Supporting these models The IPCC report suggests that if the 1.5°C goal is to be met, investments in low-carbon energy technology and energy efficiency will need to increase by roughly a factor of five by 2050 compared to 2015 levels. Countries will now be submitting Low Emission Development Strategies (LEDS) for reducing emissions by 2020. This provides an opportunity to make circular economy development a part of a country’s low-carbon development ambition.10 Clearly, continuing down the path we are in is not an option our planet can sustain. We must mitigate and restore the capabilities of our environment to sustain us and our future generations. The challenges India faces right now in terms of its emissions is due to its linear nature of the economy. We can transform and provide a range of solutions which often address greenhouse gas emissions and unsustainable resource use jointly by giving space to technologies that contribute towards shifting us towards a circular economy. Fast and effective spread of these new business models and technologies is critical to addressing the climate challenge.11 Even if countries fulfil their current national climate goals and make deep emissions cuts after 2030, warming would still very likely exceed 1.5°C, given the challenges associated with dropping emissions to net-zero well before 2045.12 Therefore, all countries and non-state actors such as businesses will need to strengthen their contributions without delay. ■
Syed A A Farhan References: 1 https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2014/09/circular-economy-sustainable-planet/ 2 https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2014/09/circular-economy-sustainable-planet/ 3 http://www.shiftingparadigms.nl/articles/5-questions-to-understand-why-the-circular-economy-contributes-to-climate-change-mitigation-blog-14/ 4 http://www.shiftingparadigms.nl/articles/5-questions-to-understand-why-the-circular-economy-contributes-to-climate-change-mitigation-blog-14/ 5 https://unfccc.int/news/circular-economy-is-crucial-to-paris-goals-study 6 http://www.shiftingparadigms.nl/articles/5-questions-to-understand-why-the-circular-economy-contributes-to-climate-change-mitigation-blog-14/ 7 https://thecirculars.org/ 8 https://www.circle-economy.com/five-ways-the-circular-economy-can-help-mitigate-climate-change/ 9 https://www.circle-economy.com/five-ways-the-circular-economy-can-help-mitigate-climate-change/ 10 http://shiftingparadigms.nl/articles/blog-34-five-opportunities-of-the-circular-economy-for-the-architecture-of-the-paris-agreement/ 11 https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2014/09/circular-economy-sustainable-planet/ 12 http://www.cma.gov.cn/en2014/news/News/201810/t20181011_479679.html
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It must also be noted that our dependence on fossil fuels is at the heart of the climate change challenge. Around 65 percent of greenhouse gas emissions are carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions from the combustion of fossil fuels.3 It is not surprising that a majority of climate mitigation policies across the globe focus on energy efficiency and renewable energy in the developed countries, while it is both adaptation and mitigation policies for developing countries.