Friday, September 20

The circular economy, a fundamental key to face climate change

The British ex-regatista Ellen MacArthur, founder of the foundation that bears her name, assured Efe that the circular economy is a key element to achieve a more sustainable production in agriculture, mobility and even in fashion, as well as to face climate change.

“When we move from the linear model to the circular economy, that is a great change in the way we approach the global economy as a whole, from agriculture to mobility, through construction, the environment or fashion ”, he said MacArthur in a telematic interview with Efe.

At the end of September, the foundation published the report “the great redesign of food”, in which it raises rethink the ingredients used and the way they are produced to provide more beneficial options for customers, farmers and the climate.

The circular economy is b roasted in the elimination of waste and pollution, in the reuse of materials and in the regeneration of natural systems, which is why it is pointed out by experts as the solution most viable for sustainable development and the slowdown of the climate crisis .

“But it involves many challenges and many conversations. It is about going to system startup to change the system itself , so that he can function in a circular way, ”explained the founder of the Ellen MacArthur Foundation.

From 2010, the institution works with companies and governments to accelerate the processes to achieve a circular economy, in addition to producing studies on the feasibility of projects at the regional and global level.

“There are ways to grow food regeneratively, with circular principles “, Because” we know that we can do things differently and in a very profitable way, but we need these practices to spread, “said MacArthur.

He added that, for this, It is necessary for consumers to pressure the “big brands” and the big producers to cultivate their crops in a “regenerative way”, while urging governments to “help in that transition” through regulations, legislations and incentives .

Greenhouse effects on food production

According to the report, the food industry is responsible for a third of global greenhouse gas emissions and more than 50% of human-induced pressure on biodiversity .

Thus, MacArthur claimed that migration to an economy Circular is equally critical to mitigating the devastating effects of climate change.

“There is no doubt that we have to make significant changes globally to have the opportunity to reverse this trend”, said, and added being possible to reduce by a 55% toxic gas emissions by switching to renewable energiesb them.

However, the 45 Remaining% of emissions “are created by the way we make products, how we use them and how we grow food.”

“If we can change to more circular principles, we have the ability to influence those 45% and, at the same time, migrate towards renewable energies ”and thus meet the goal of restrict global temperature rise to 1.5 degrees over the next two decades , he stressed .

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