On Thursday 21 March, the European Environment Agency (EEA) published a report on the state of and outlook for the circular economy in 2024. In particular, it highlights the fact that progress in this area is currently mixed.
The 116-page report points out that the EU is still too dependent on natural resources for the supply of materials, food and fuel, and that this “has a significant impact on the environment and climate”.
The document also points out that, while the EU – with its circularity rate of 11.5% in 2022 – is among the best performers in terms of the proportion of recycled materials consumed, progress has been “slow” and is “still far from the ambition of doubling the EU’s circularity rate by 2030”.
The EEA adds: “it is unlikely or only moderately likely that [the targets] will be achieved in the coming years”.
However, it warns that the policies that have been put in place are still “relatively new” and “some have not yet been fully implemented at national level”.
While the report’s findings suggest that more can be done, a number of avenues are being explored to achieve this, such as maximising the use and lifespan of products through reuse, repair and remanufacture.
See the report: https://aeur.eu/f/bgd (Original version in French by Thomas Mangin)