The Circularity Gap Report 2024

The Circularity Gap Report 2024 analyses the current state of the global circular economy and emphasises the urgent need to move from theoretical approaches to concrete action. Despite the increasing awareness and discourse on the circular economy, the global share of secondary materials has decreased, while the overall consumption of materials continues to increase.

The report recommends different priorities for different countries:

• Shift countries (countries with high economic output) should drastically reduce their material consumption and pursue sufficiency-orientated approaches.
  
• Grow countries (middle-income countries) should promote sustainable industrial processes and extend the service life of machinery and goods.
  
• Build countries (Global South) should increase their material consumption to meet basic needs while integrating circular approaches to promote sustainable growth.

Close cooperation between governments, businesses and civil society is required to achieve the necessary systemic changes. Technological innovations and political measures must go hand in hand in order to establish the circular economy worldwide and thus secure a sustainable and fair future.

You can download the Circularity Gap Report 2024 here: