Lots of commitment to circular economy principles at COP: now we need to see action

Keith James

Head of Policy and Insights, WRAP

In this blog, Keith James, one of our delegation at COP 27, reflects on the emerging consensus around the need to tackle the way we consume goods and services if we are to have a hope of tackling climate change. Are promises and pledges enough?

Keith James speaking at COP27

When WRAP attended COP26 in Glasgow virtually no-one was talking about a circular economy. This is despite the stark reality that we can only deliver radical change and tackle climate change through changing the way we make, use and deal with products at the end of their life.

In the run-up to COP27 we looked at whether this gap had been addressed. The good news is that 133 countries have committed to a more circular economy to some extent in their nationally determined contributions (NDCs) – the annual plans they submit to outline how they will act on the effects of climate change.

Consumption Almost half of GHG emissions come from how we make and consume food and goods

 

The devil, though, is in the detail, or perhaps more in the lack of it. We concluded that many countries needed much clearer goals and robust plans to turn principles into action.

Some commitments, for example, are simply to ‘increase recycling’ with no firm targets or implementation plans attached. Recycling is important, but one of a number of levers required to deliver a truly circular economy. Making goods that last, increasing repair and re-use, and switching to service or leasing models are all ways in which we can make the most productive use of goods and service and reduce the pressure on the planet’s rapidly decreasing natural resources and on the environment.

The widespread adopting of circular economy principles is definitely a good start, but we now need to deliver on these plans.  Talk is still dominated by future pledges and promises.

This, along with the need to include food system transformation in climate action strategies, was the message I was driving home at COP27 this week. It is my second time at a climate COP after Glasgow.  Some issues were again high on the agenda - payments for loss and damage still appears to be a key issue on which agreement is difficult to reach. It was disappointing that it opened with the realization that not enough countries have submitted plans in line with the stated aspiration of keeping global climate change below an average of 1.5C; many of those that have are off track.