The world is 9%
circular...

The twentieth century was ruled by the metric of money, which demanded endless growth. This century calls for new metrics - natural and social - that enable humanity to thrive within the means of the planet. This fascinating report presents just the kind of powerful numbers needed to start making that new economy real.

The traditional “take-make-dispose” economic model endangers the achievement of the globally agreed Sustainable Development Goals. SDG Goal 3 - “Healthy lives and well-being for all at all ages” - is at the core of the Philips mission and relies on “Sustainable consumption and production patterns” (SDG12) to be achieved. I therefore welcome this first step towards a global circularity metric. This will allow us to better measure the material flows of the global economy and provide insights about key levers for moving to a circular economy.

We stand at a defining moment for the future of the planet and human well-being. To stay within the planetary boundaries, a radical transformation of key economic systems will be required to significantly reduce their environmental footprint. Our current linear “take-make-waste” system is simply not sustainable for the environment, the way we live or the economy. As this new report makes clear, economic prosperity depends on a healthy global environment, which goes hand-in-hand with the circular economy approach.