There is only one planet Earth, yet by 2050, the world will be consuming as if there were three. Global consumption of materials such as biomass, fossil fuels, and metals and minerals is expected to double in the next forty years, while annual waste generation is projected to increase by 70 percent by 2050.
As half of total greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and more than 90 percent of biodiversity loss and water stress come from resource extraction and processing, the European Green Deal launched a concerted strategy for a climate-neutral, resource-efficient, and competitive economy. Scaling up the circular economy, from front-runners to the mainstream economic players, will make a decisive contribution to achieving climate neutrality by 2050 and decoupling economic growth from resource use, while ensuring the long-term competitiveness of the EU and leaving no one behind.