1The diagram illustrates different strategies for looping material and energy flows to reduce resource extraction (top half) and avoid waste creation (bottom half). Two types of circularity strategies are depicted: for technical inputs from non-renewable resources (right-hand side) and for biochemical inputs from renewable resources (left-hand side).

2In principle, the shorter the loop (e.g.: maintenance, reuse), the greater the likelihood of maintaining economic value and minimizing environmental impacts.

3This map, taken from a European Environment Agency study, shows countries which had adopted a national resource efficiency or circular economy strategy or action plan as of 2019. The color legend indicates the state of progress with these measures.

4The map does not show countries that have simply indicated an intention to take action in the future. In total, 21 of the 32 countries in the study stated they had begun work on drafting national policies relating to the circular economy.

Measuring circularity

5The Circularity Gap is a global indicator measured annually by the Platform for Accelerating the Circular Economy, a collaboration between over 70 private and public sector actors established by the World Economic Forum and currently hosted by the World Resources Institute. This indicator is obtained from the ratio between the quantity of material recycled and the total quantity of material inputs into the global economy each year. In 2020, the Circularity Gap was assessed at 8.6%, down from 9.1% in 2018.

6As well as a global indicator, an annual report also assesses the quantities of resources used per category of material (mineral, ores, fossil fuels, biomass and waste), greenhouse gas emissions caused by the extraction of these resources, the quantity of materials used per activity sector (housing, communication, mobility, healthcare, services, consumables and nutrition) and their carbon impacts.

Circular economy and employement in France

7This is one of 11 indicators used to track circularity in the French economy. It seeks to quantify the number of jobs associated with economic activities within the circular economy. Only activities relating to “extended life” and “recycling” are studied here, i.e. reuse and repair of goods, waste collection and materials recovery. These activities create more jobs per unit managed than activities relating to waste disposal (landfill and incineration).