To achieve the temperature goal of the Paris Agreement, transformative actions are needed. The circular economy (CE) is one concept that gained popularity in recent years, with its proclaimed selling point to combine economic development with benefits to businesses, society, and the environment. However, definitions of CE diverge, applications appear across vastly different settings, and overall there is a lack of understanding of how much CE strategies can contribute to climate change mitigation (mitigation). We systematically screened 3244 records in Web of Science and Scopus, restricted to papers in English. We then selected studies against pre-determined eligibility criteria that, had to (1) refer explicitly to CE or closely related concepts (e.g. performance economy, cradle-to-cradle, material or product efficiency); and (2) refer to a climate change mitigation potential. We identified 341 studies, summarized, and grouped into six sectors (industry, waste, energy, buildings, transport, and agriculture). These sectors are not completely mutually exclusive, but partially overlapping. Nonetheless, sectoral classifications relate to existing categorizations and map well with international assessments of climate change mitigations, such as those of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC). Our review sets out to summarize the results of the scientific literature on the extent to which CE strategies can contribute to mitigation. Even though our query explicitly required a consideration of climate change, only 10% of all studies contributed insights on how the CE can support mitigation. We find that the highest saving potential is evidenced in the industry, energy, and transport sector; mid-range savings in the waste and building sector; and lowest gains are to be expected in agriculture. The majority of studies investigate incremental measures claiming but not demonstrating climate change mitigation. Most studies indicate potential but implementation remains weak. Assessments should move from attributional to consequential analysis to avoid misleading policy makers.
This article identifies and quantifies the 10 most important benchmarks for climate action to be taken by 2020-2025 to keep the window open for a 1.5°C-consistent GHG emission pathway. We conducted a comprehensive review of existing emissions scenarios, scanned all sectors and the respective necessary transitions, and distilled the most important short-term benchmarks for action in line with the long-term perspective of the required global low-carbon transition. Owing to the limited carbon budget, combined with the inertia of existing systems, global energy economic models find only limited pathways to stay on track for a 1.5°C world consistent with the long-term temperature goal of the Paris Agreement.The identified benchmarks include:. Sustain the current growth rate of renewables and other zero and low-carbon power generation until 2025 to reach 100% share by 2050; . No new coal power plants, reduce emissions from existing coal fleet by 30% by 2025;. Last fossil fuel passenger car sold by 2035-2050;. Develop and agree on a 1.5°C-consistent vision for aviation and shipping;. All new buildings fossil-free and near-zero energy by 2020;. Increase building renovation rates from less than 1% in 2015 to 5% by 2020;. All new installations in emissions-intensive sectors low-carbon after 2020, maximize material efficiency; . Reduce emissions from forestry and other land use to 95% below 2010 levels by 2030, stop net deforestation by 2025; . Keep agriculture emissions at or below current levels, establish and disseminate regional best practice, ramp up research; . Accelerate research and planning for negative emission technology deployment. Key policy insights. These benchmarks can be used when designing policy options that are 1.5°C, Paris Agreement consistent. . They require technology diffusion and sector transformations at a large scale and high speed, in many cases immediate introduction of zero-carbon technologies, not marginal efficiency improvements. . For most benchmarks we show that there are signs that the identified needed transitions are possible: in some specific cases it is already happening.
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