The seventh edition of the Global Circularity Gap Report was launched in partnership between Circle Economy Foundation and Deloitte, featuring insights, trends, and action-oriented guidance for accelerating global circularity.
The event included a detailed walk-through of the 2024 report, a panel discussion with leaders from Ikea and the World Bank, and highlighted the importance of policy, finance, and skills as enablers for a circular economy.
Key themes included the need for systemic change, practical implementation strategies tailored to different country profiles, and building collaborative partnerships across sectors.
Circle Economy Consulting announced a new partnership with Deloitte, with further details provided in a press release.
Action Items
Today – Circle Economy Foundation: Publish press release announcing new partnership between Circle Economy Consulting and Deloitte.
Ongoing – Matthew Fraser/Circle Economy Foundation: Encourage attendees and stakeholders to download and review the full 2024 Circularity Gap Report.
Ongoing – Hege Sæbjørnsen/Ikea: Continue cross-functional co-creation of repair schemes and develop relevant learning offerings for all business functions.
Ongoing – World Bank/Andrea Lanzi: Further collaboration on circularity-enabling policy guidance and support to client countries, particularly in the construction and waste sectors.
Ongoing – All Attendees: Share successful and unsuccessful circularity initiatives to enable collective learning and avoid repeated mistakes.
Launch of the 2024 Circularity Gap Report
The event marked the release of the 7th Circularity Gap Report, with a focus on moving from theory to action through practical strategies and roadmaps.
Adjustments from previous years included a streamlined one-hour program, a simplified technical setup, and a more interactive panel.
Report Highlights & Key Insights
Global circularity has declined from 9.1% to 7.2% over five years, despite increased dialogue and recognition of circular economy principles.
Material consumption has sharply increased, equaling the entire 20th century’s usage in just five years, underscoring urgency.
Three major enablers were identified: policy (level playing field and incentives), jobs & skills (education and just transition), and finance (true pricing and investment redirection).
Roadmaps and enablers were detailed for three distinct country profiles:
Shift countries (high-income): Focus on reducing overconsumption; showcased EU’s right to repair legislation.
Grow countries (middle-income): Leverage regenerative food systems; cited the CocoAction Brazil partnership as a successful case.
Build countries (low-income): Integrate circularity in infrastructure; highlighted Rwanda’s national action plan embedding circular principles.
The report emphasizes shifting the development paradigm, aligning economic incentives, international cooperation, and ensuring a just socio-economic transition.
Panel Discussion: Industry & Public Sector Perspectives
Ikea’s Circular Journey (Hege Sæbjørnsen)
Ikea’s strategy integrates climate, nature, sustainable living, circularity, and social fairness.
Circularity is pursued as a business transformation, not just sustainability compliance, driven by systemic change across the entire value chain.
Initiatives include designing for durability, scaling repair/reuse, policymaker engagement, and consumer education.
Emphasized the clear business case: cost of inaction, evolving legislation, and changing consumer preferences.
World Bank’s Role & Challenges (Andrea Lanzi)
The World Bank’s mandate has evolved from reconstruction to poverty reduction and now includes environmental sustainability and circularity.
The institution sees rising demand from member states for support in circularity, especially in waste, recycling, and energy efficiency.
Adoption of circularity varies by country context, requiring tailored policy, economic incentives, and cross-sector partnerships.
Highlighted the importance of public-private partnerships, especially via sectoral agreements and industrial symbiosis.
Enablers Deep Dive
Built Environment: High-income countries repurpose existing infrastructure; developing countries focus on circular principles in new construction.
Economics: The need for landfill taxes, life-cycle costing, and reforming fiscal systems (e.g., VAT/subsidies) to favor circularity.
Skills & Education: Upskilling across the workforce is essential; companies should provide job-relevant learning for all functions, emphasizing actionable knowledge and an inspiring vision.
Partnerships: Collaboration between governments, industry leaders, and financial institutions is vital to scale successful circular initiatives.
Audience Q&A
Prioritizing Circular Initiatives: Begin where the organization’s largest impact lies, balance ambition with practicality, and consider market-specific opportunities.
Maintaining Momentum Amid Political and Economic Turbulence: Focus messaging on resilience, cost-effectiveness, and meeting real human needs, alongside environmental benefits.
Public-Private Collaboration: The Netherlands’ sectoral pacts and China’s secondary materials markets were cited as leading examples.
Decisions
Announced new Circle Economy Consulting–Deloitte partnership — to enhance advisory services and accelerate practical implementation of circular economy strategies for businesses and governments.
Open Questions / Follow-Ups
Details regarding the scope, objectives, and early activities of the Circle Economy Consulting–Deloitte partnership (to be clarified in the press release).
Ongoing need for more granular, sector-specific data to inform prioritization and action planning for individual organizations.