UPM-Biofore-Magazine-1-2017-ENG

TEXT MATTI REMES   PHOTOGRAPHY ELLEN MACARTHUR FOUNDATION, UPM

P opulation growth and increasing consumption are putting strain on the ecological sustainability of the Earth, as natural resources are dwindling and climate change continues its deadly march. Overcoming this sustainability crisis will require a fundamental change in direction. A paradigm shift is the only way to maintain economic prosperity and societal stability for generations to come. So believes Joss Blériot , Executive Officer of the EllenMacArthur Foundation, one of the most widely known proponents of the circular economy. “Currently we create value by consuming finite resources. This cannot work in the long term. We have to find ways to resolve the situation,” Blériot affirms. The EllenMacArthur Foundation is an independent foundation that strives to accelerate the transition to the new economic model throughmeans such as education, research and corporate cooperation. The Foundation has successfully kept the circular economy in the spotlight at events such as theWorld Economic Forum (WEF) Meetings held in Davos, Switzerland. “Over the past five years, the discussion has expanded into all forums, which is a very positive development,” Blériot notes. Growth without resource depletion According to Blériot, the linear economic model that emerged from the industrial revolution 150 years ago is being increasingly challenged. He uses this term to refer to unidirectional production processes based on the extraction of rawmaterials, production, consumption and the eventual disposal of the product. “We need to replace the old economic model with a new one that separates growth from the consumption of natural resources. We can achieve this by utilising

A global move towards the circular economy The circular economy is an environmentally sustainable approach that keeps raw materials in circulation for as long as they have value. The transition to this new economic model is still in the early stages, but pioneering companies are already utilising the opportunities it presents.

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