Circular Economy & Materials
"Design waste out. Keep materials in use. Regenerate what's left."
Half of climate emissions and 90% of biodiversity loss come from how we extract, use and discard materials. A circular economy is the only way to decouple prosperity from planetary limits.
45%
of emissions come from materials & products
Ellen MacArthur Foundation
7.2%
of the economy is currently circular
Circle Economy 2024
11M t
of plastic reach oceans yearly
UNEP
Milestones we're chasing
Cut virgin material use 30%
Reuse, repair, remanufacture, share.
End plastic pollution
UN plastics treaty in force with binding reduction targets.
Fully circular by design
Every product designed for reuse, recycling or safe return to nature.
Levers that move the needle
Take an action →Right-to-repair laws
Mandatory repairability scores and spare parts extend product life 2–3×.
Regenerative materials
Mycelium, agri-residues, mass timber replace virgin fossil inputs.
Extended Producer Responsibility
Producers pay for end-of-life, not taxpayers or oceans.
Industrial symbiosis
One factory's waste becomes another's feedstock — Kalundborg model.
Signals of progress
- ↗EU Right-to-Repair adopted
- ↗Reuse platforms scaling in apparel & electronics
Warning lights
- ↘Global circularity rate declining since 2018
- ↘Fast-fashion volumes still rising
Live actions in this area
Time-bound campaigns you can join, sign, fund or lead right now.
No live actions in this area yet.
Organizations working here
NGOs, startups, cities, research labs and funders driving this area forward.
No organizations listed for this scope yet — be the first.
Your contribution
Small and big actions compound into short- and long-term impact. Find your seat — as an individual, a community, or an industry player.
What one person, household or citizen can do this week.
Repair, don't replace
Individuals · Ongoing
Neighborhoods, restaurants, schools and cities acting together.
- More community actions coming soon.
Companies, investors, funders and governments moving markets and policy.
Publish a materials passport
Manufacturers · 1 product line
Mandate recycled content in procurement
Governments · 1 policy cycle
Resources & tools
Playbook
- Ellen MacArthur Foundation
Report
- Circularity Gap Report
Community
- Repair Café network
Get involved in Circular Economy & Materials
Take a time-bound action, register your organization or start a collaboration in this area.