Change for Climate is an interactive lesson with an accompanying design challenge for students aged 13-19. Its purpose is to inspire and mobilise young Africans around the concept of the circular economy — a way of designing, making, and using things that can help us address big challenges like waste, pollution, and climate change. Looking at examples of real people making real changes in the way that we work and live, this resource takes you on a journey into the hearts and minds of entrepreneurs and innovators shaping the future of Africa, using circular economy ideas and principles. The accompanying design challenge is a great way to get students thinking about local solutions to climate-related problems affecting their communities whilst developing their creativity, collaboration and communication skills. This resource has been developed by the Ellen MacArthur Foundation in collaboration with the African Leadership University.

When it comes to climate change, we all know the importance of switching to clean, renewable forms of energy. But did you know that nearly half of greenhouse gas emissions come from how we make and use stuff? From cars to phones to food, producing the things we need contributes to climate change in a big way. And what do we do with most of this stuff? We throw it in landfill or burn it. A long term solution to climate change needs to look at the bigger picture, taking into account the way our entire economy runs. This lesson introduces the concept of the circular economy and how it can positively impact our climate. With big players in every sector beginning to invest in this new idea, the circular economy is already shaping the future. This resource has been created to honour Earth Day 2022. But of course, every day is Earth Day, really. About the Circular Economy The circular economy is a new way to design, make, and use things within the limits of our planet. In the natural world, materials and nutrients cycle continuously, allowing the Earth’s biosphere to regenerate and for all lifeforms - humans included - to flourish. This insight lies at the heart of the circular economy. Instead of using things for a short time before throwing them away, in a circular economy everything is designed to fit within a cycle so it can be used again and again. The concept is based on three principles, driven by design, and underpinned by a transition to renewable energy: 1 - Eliminate waste and pollution 2 - Keep products and materials in use 3 - Regenerate natural systems Using these principles, we can create a system that restores biodiversity, addresses climate change, and makes the most of our planet’s limited resources. Such a system could work for the economy, society, and environment - making it a truly sustainable model for our future prosperity. About The Ellen MacArthur Foundation The Ellen MacArthur Foundation, an international charity, develops and promotes the idea of a circular economy in order to tackle some of the biggest challenges of our time, such as plastic pollution, climate change, and biodiversity loss. We work with, and aim to inspire, business, academia, policymakers, and institutions to mobilise systems solutions at scale, globally.

The Girls Go Circular Project aims to equip girls aged 14-18 across Europe with digital and entrepreneurial skills by 2027 through an online learning programme about the circular economy. The online learning platform developed in the framework of the project – the “Circular Learning Space” – offers students the option of choosing between different learning modules on topics like metals, plastics, sustainable fashion, or electronic devices. These modules are based on a learning-by-doing approach, transferring knowledge and skills through an interactive, challenge-based structure. About the Circular Economy The circular economy is a new way to design, make, and use things within the limits of our planet. In the natural world, materials and nutrients cycle continuously, allowing the Earth’s biosphere to regenerate and for all lifeforms - humans included - to flourish. This insight lies at the heart of the circular economy. Instead of using things for a short time before throwing them away, in a circular economy everything is designed to fit within a cycle so it can be used again and again. The concept is based on three principles, driven by design, and underpinned by a transition to renewable energy: 1 - Eliminate waste and pollution 2 - Keep products and materials in use 3 - Regenerate natural systems Using these principles, we can create a system that restores biodiversity, addresses climate change, and makes the most of our planet’s limited resources. Such a system could work for the economy, society, and environment - making it a truly sustainable model for our future prosperity. About the Ellen MacArthur Foundation The Ellen MacArthur Foundation, an international charity, develops and promotes the idea of a circular economy in order to tackle some of the biggest challenges of our time, such as plastic pollution, climate change, and biodiversity loss. We work with, and aim to inspire, business, academia, policymakers, and institutions to mobilise systems solutions at scale, globally.

Can we do things differently? This interactive website explores how we make stuff as an introduction to the circular economy for early years. As part of the website there are also downloadable activities for teachers. About the Circular Economy The circular economy is a new way to design, make, and use things within the limits of our planet. In the natural world, materials and nutrients cycle continuously, allowing the Earth’s biosphere to regenerate and for all lifeforms - humans included - to flourish. This insight lies at the heart of the circular economy. Instead of using things for a short time before throwing them away, in a circular economy everything is designed to fit within a cycle so it can be used again and again. The concept is based on three principles, driven by design, and underpinned by a transition to renewable energy: 1 - Eliminate waste and pollution 2 - Keep products and materials in use 3 - Regenerate natural systems Using these principles, we can create a system that restores biodiversity, addresses climate change, and makes the most of our planet’s limited resources. Such a system could work for the economy, society, and environment - making it a truly sustainable model for our future prosperity. About the Ellen MacArthur Foundation The Ellen MacArthur Foundation, an international charity, develops and promotes the idea of a circular economy in order to tackle some of the biggest challenges of our time, such as plastic pollution, climate change, and biodiversity loss. We work with, and aim to inspire, business, academia, policymakers, and institutions to mobilise systems solutions at scale, globally.

Systems thinking is the ability to understand how the parts of a system interact to produce the behaviour of the whole. In this learning path, we explore how and why systems and systems thinking are so integral to the circular economy concept. About the Circular Economy The circular economy is a new way to design, make, and use things within the limits of our planet. In the natural world, materials and nutrients cycle continuously, allowing the Earth’s biosphere to regenerate and for all lifeforms - humans included - to flourish. This insight lies at the heart of the circular economy. Instead of using things for a short time before throwing them away, in a circular economy everything is designed to fit within a cycle so it can be used again and again. The concept is based on three principles, driven by design, and underpinned by a transition to renewable energy: 1 - Eliminate waste and pollution 2 - Keep products and materials in use 3 - Regenerate natural systems Using these principles, we can create a system that restores biodiversity, addresses climate change, and makes the most of our planet’s limited resources. Such a system could work for the economy, society, and environment - making it a truly sustainable model for our future prosperity. About the Ellen MacArthur Foundation The Ellen MacArthur Foundation, an international charity, develops and promotes the idea of a circular economy in order to tackle some of the biggest challenges of our time, such as plastic pollution, climate change, and biodiversity loss. We work with, and aim to inspire, business, academia, policymakers, and institutions to mobilise systems solutions at scale, globally.

This learning path explores what artificial intelligence is and how it can be used to accelerate the transition to a circular economy, focusing in particular on the opportunities for AI to: Inform and accelerate efforts to design out waste and pollution. Increase the effectiveness and optimise circular economy business models. Streamline the infrastructure needed to keep products and materials in use. About the Circular Economy The circular economy is a new way to design, make, and use things within the limits of our planet. In the natural world, materials and nutrients cycle continuously, allowing the Earth’s biosphere to regenerate and for all lifeforms - humans included - to flourish. This insight lies at the heart of the circular economy. Instead of using things for a short time before throwing them away, in a circular economy everything is designed to fit within a cycle so it can be used again and again. The concept is based on three principles, driven by design, and underpinned by a transition to renewable energy: 1 - Eliminate waste and pollution 2 - Keep products and materials in use 3 - Regenerate natural systems Using these principles, we can create a system that restores biodiversity, addresses climate change, and makes the most of our planet’s limited resources. Such a system could work for the economy, society, and environment - making it a truly sustainable model for our future prosperity. About the Ellen MacArthur Foundation The Ellen MacArthur Foundation, an international charity, develops and promotes the idea of a circular economy in order to tackle some of the biggest challenges of our time, such as plastic pollution, climate change, and biodiversity loss. We work with, and aim to inspire, business, academia, policymakers, and institutions to mobilise systems solutions at scale, globally.

This learning path covers the role of design in creating a circular economy, examining the four-stage circular design process and highlighting six strategies for incorporating the principles of the circular economy into your designs. About the Circular Economy The circular economy is a new way to design, make, and use things within the limits of our planet. In the natural world, materials and nutrients cycle continuously, allowing the Earth’s biosphere to regenerate and for all lifeforms - humans included - to flourish. This insight lies at the heart of the circular economy. Instead of using things for a short time before throwing them away, in a circular economy everything is designed to fit within a cycle so it can be used again and again. The concept is based on three principles, driven by design, and underpinned by a transition to renewable energy: 1 - Eliminate waste and pollution 2 - Keep products and materials in use 3 - Regenerate natural systems Using these principles, we can create a system that restores biodiversity, addresses climate change, and makes the most of our planet’s limited resources. Such a system could work for the economy, society, and environment - making it a truly sustainable model for our future prosperity. About the Ellen MacArthur Foundation The Ellen MacArthur Foundation, an international charity, develops and promotes the idea of a circular economy in order to tackle some of the biggest challenges of our time, such as plastic pollution, climate change, and biodiversity loss. We work with, and aim to inspire, business, academia, policymakers, and institutions to mobilise systems solutions at scale, globally.

This learning path explores how applying the principles of the circular economy to urban development will create cities that are able to thrive in the long-term, bringing prosperity to their citizens within planetary boundaries. Buildings, mobility, products and services, and food systems are examined in detail as these are urban systems that play an important role in our lives, and where transformations can be made. Added to this, they can be managed at the local level and can have significant impact. Within each of these systems the opportunities offered by innovations in design, business models, and digital technology are highlighted. About the Circular Economy The circular economy is a new way to design, make, and use things within the limits of our planet. In the natural world, materials and nutrients cycle continuously, allowing the Earth’s biosphere to regenerate and for all lifeforms - humans included - to flourish. This insight lies at the heart of the circular economy. Instead of using things for a short time before throwing them away, in a circular economy everything is designed to fit within a cycle so it can be used again and again. The concept is based on three principles, driven by design, and underpinned by a transition to renewable energy: 1 - Eliminate waste and pollution 2 - Keep products and materials in use 3 - Regenerate natural systems Using these principles, we can create a system that restores biodiversity, addresses climate change, and makes the most of our planet’s limited resources. Such a system could work for the economy, society, and environment - making it a truly sustainable model for our future prosperity. About the Ellen MacArthur Foundation The Ellen MacArthur Foundation, an international charity, develops and promotes the idea of a circular economy in order to tackle some of the biggest challenges of our time, such as plastic pollution, climate change, and biodiversity loss. We work with, and aim to inspire, business, academia, policymakers, and institutions to mobilise systems solutions at scale, globally.

Our relationship with plastic needs rethinking. Plastics are versatile materials, but the way we use them is incredibly wasteful. We take oil and gas from the earth to make plastic products that are often designed to be used only once, and then we throw them away. This is what we call a linear take-make-waste model. Year on year, millions of tonnes of plastic, worth billions of dollars, ends up in landfills, is burned, or leaked into the environment. A staggering 8 million tonnes leaks into the ocean every year - and that number is rising. If we don’t rethink its use, there will be more plastic in the ocean than fish (by weight) by 2050. No-one wants to be in this position. Is it possible to rethink the way we design, use, and reuse plastics to create a circular economy for plastic? About the Circular Economy The circular economy is a new way to design, make, and use things within the limits of our planet. In the natural world, materials and nutrients cycle continuously, allowing the Earth’s biosphere to regenerate and for all lifeforms - humans included - to flourish. This insight lies at the heart of the circular economy. Instead of using things for a short time before throwing them away, in a circular economy everything is designed to fit within a cycle so it can be used again and again. The concept is based on three principles, driven by design, and underpinned by a transition to renewable energy: 1 - Eliminate waste and pollution 2 - Keep products and materials in use 3 - Regenerate natural systems Using these principles, we can create a system that restores biodiversity, addresses climate change, and makes the most of our planet’s limited resources. Such a system could work for the economy, society, and environment - making it a truly sustainable model for our future prosperity. About the Ellen MacArthur Foundation The Ellen MacArthur Foundation, an international charity, develops and promotes the idea of a circular economy in order to tackle some of the biggest challenges of our time, such as plastic pollution, climate change, and biodiversity loss. We work with, and aim to inspire, business, academia, policymakers, and institutions to mobilise systems solutions at scale, globally.

This learning path explores how the principles of the circular economy can be applied to the fashion industry, beginning by covering why the fashion industry of today is not fit for purpose. Following that, it examines the vision for a new textiles economy through three focus areas that are critical to realising this vision: New business models that increase clothing use Safe and renewable inputs Solutions so used clothes are turned into new clothes About the Circular Economy The circular economy is a new way to design, make, and use things within the limits of our planet. In the natural world, materials and nutrients cycle continuously, allowing the Earth’s biosphere to regenerate and for all lifeforms - humans included - to flourish. This insight lies at the heart of the circular economy. Instead of using things for a short time before throwing them away, in a circular economy everything is designed to fit within a cycle so it can be used again and again. The concept is based on three principles, driven by design, and underpinned by a transition to renewable energy: 1 - Eliminate waste and pollution 2 - Keep products and materials in use 3 - Regenerate natural systems Using these principles, we can create a system that restores biodiversity, addresses climate change, and makes the most of our planet’s limited resources. Such a system could work for the economy, society, and environment - making it a truly sustainable model for our future prosperity. About the Ellen MacArthur Foundation The Ellen MacArthur Foundation, an international charity, develops and promotes the idea of a circular economy in order to tackle some of the biggest challenges of our time, such as plastic pollution, climate change, and biodiversity loss. We work with, and aim to inspire, business, academia, policymakers, and institutions to mobilise systems solutions at scale, globally.

This learning path begins by examining the true cost of the current approach to food production. It then explores the catalytic role of cities and how they can seize the opportunity to change the global food system through three ambitions: Sourcing food grown regeneratively, and locally where appropriate Designing and marketing healthier food products Making the most of food About the Circular Economy The circular economy is a new way to design, make, and use things within the limits of our planet. In the natural world, materials and nutrients cycle continuously, allowing the Earth’s biosphere to regenerate and for all lifeforms - humans included - to flourish. This insight lies at the heart of the circular economy. Instead of using things for a short time before throwing them away, in a circular economy everything is designed to fit within a cycle so it can be used again and again. The concept is based on three principles, driven by design, and underpinned by a transition to renewable energy: 1 - Eliminate waste and pollution 2 - Keep products and materials in use 3 - Regenerate natural systems Using these principles, we can create a system that restores biodiversity, addresses climate change, and makes the most of our planet’s limited resources. Such a system could work for the economy, society, and environment - making it a truly sustainable model for our future prosperity. About the Ellen MacArthur Foundation The Ellen MacArthur Foundation, an international charity, develops and promotes the idea of a circular economy in order to tackle some of the biggest challenges of our time, such as plastic pollution, climate change, and biodiversity loss. We work with, and aim to inspire, business, academia, policymakers, and institutions to mobilise systems solutions at scale, globally.

This learning path explores the nuances of the concept of a circular economy, including the difference between biological and technical materials, the different opportunities that exist to keep materials and products in use, and the history of the idea. Finally, the benefits of shifting from a linear to a circular economy are highlighted. About the Circular Economy The circular economy is a new way to design, make, and use things within the limits of our planet. In the natural world, materials and nutrients cycle continuously, allowing the Earth’s biosphere to regenerate and for all lifeforms - humans included - to flourish. This insight lies at the heart of the circular economy. Instead of using things for a short time before throwing them away, in a circular economy everything is designed to fit within a cycle so it can be used again and again. The concept is based on three principles, driven by design, and underpinned by a transition to renewable energy: 1 - Eliminate waste and pollution 2 - Keep products and materials in use 3 - Regenerate natural systems Using these principles, we can create a system that restores biodiversity, addresses climate change, and makes the most of our planet’s limited resources. Such a system could work for the economy, society, and environment - making it a truly sustainable model for our future prosperity. About the Ellen MacArthur Foundation The Ellen MacArthur Foundation, an international charity, develops and promotes the idea of a circular economy in order to tackle some of the biggest challenges of our time, such as plastic pollution, climate change, and biodiversity loss. We work with, and aim to inspire, business, academia, policymakers, and institutions to mobilise systems solutions at scale, globally.

The Circular Design Guide is a collaboration between the Ellen MacArthur Foundation and IDEO, which is aimed at product and systems designers who want to understand how to design for a circular economy. The Guide contains, among other things, a selection of methods that designers could apply to their projects to support them to understand the circular economy and maximise its potential. About the Circular Economy The circular economy is a new way to design, make, and use things within the limits of our planet. In the natural world, materials and nutrients cycle continuously, allowing the Earth’s biosphere to regenerate and for all lifeforms - humans included - to flourish. This insight lies at the heart of the circular economy. Instead of using things for a short time before throwing them away, in a circular economy everything is designed to fit within a cycle so it can be used again and again. The concept is based on three principles, driven by design, and underpinned by a transition to renewable energy: 1 - Eliminate waste and pollution 2 - Keep products and materials in use 3 - Regenerate natural systems Using these principles, we can create a system that restores biodiversity, addresses climate change, and makes the most of our planet’s limited resources. Such a system could work for the economy, society, and environment - making it a truly sustainable model for our future prosperity. About the Ellen MacArthur Foundation The circular economy is a new way to design, make, and use things within the limits of our planet. In the natural world, materials and nutrients cycle continuously, allowing the Earth’s biosphere to regenerate and for all lifeforms - humans included - to flourish. This insight lies at the heart of the circular economy. Instead of using things for a short time before throwing them away, in a circular economy everything is designed to fit within a cycle so it can be used again and again. The concept is based on three principles, driven by design, and underpinned by a transition to renewable energy: 1 - Eliminate waste and pollution 2 - Keep products and materials in use 3 - Regenerate natural systems Using these principles, we can create a system that restores biodiversity, addresses climate change, and makes the most of our planet’s limited resources. Such a system could work for the economy, society, and environment - making it a truly sustainable model for our future prosperity.

The two cycles explore how both biological materials and technological materials can be designed to be reused to maximise productivity and minimise waste. Biological materials These are materials which can be safely returned to the biosphere to add value. Thus they don’t contain toxins. Technical materials Metals, polymers, alloys, etc which cannot be returned to the biosphere, but which should be designed in such a way to maximise their productivity - making use of them again and again with little or no reduction in quality. About the Circular Economy The circular economy is a new way to design, make, and use things within the limits of our planet. In the natural world, materials and nutrients cycle continuously, allowing the Earth’s biosphere to regenerate and for all lifeforms - humans included - to flourish. This insight lies at the heart of the circular economy. Instead of using things for a short time before throwing them away, in a circular economy everything is designed to fit within a cycle so it can be used again and again. The concept is based on three principles, driven by design, and underpinned by a transition to renewable energy: 1 - Eliminate waste and pollution 2 - Keep products and materials in use 3 - Regenerate natural systems Using these principles, we can create a system that restores biodiversity, addresses climate change, and makes the most of our planet’s limited resources. Such a system could work for the economy, society, and environment - making it a truly sustainable model for our future prosperity. About The Ellen MacArthur Foundation The Ellen MacArthur Foundation, an international charity, develops and promotes the idea of a circular economy in order to tackle some of the biggest challenges of our time, such as plastic pollution, climate change, and biodiversity loss. We work with, and aim to inspire, business, academia, policymakers, and institutions to mobilise systems solutions at scale, globally.

This animation shows how the circular economy aims to eliminate waste, keep products in use, and regenerate nature by cycling materials. Nature never creates waste, everything is used again and again. What if we could do the same? About the Circular Economy The circular economy is a new way to design, make, and use things within the limits of our planet. In the natural world, materials and nutrients cycle continuously, allowing the Earth’s biosphere to regenerate and for all lifeforms - humans included - to flourish. This insight lies at the heart of the circular economy. Instead of using things for a short time before throwing them away, in a circular economy everything is designed to fit within a cycle so it can be used again and again. The concept is based on three principles, driven by design, and underpinned by a transition to renewable energy: 1 - Eliminate waste and pollution 2 - Keep products and materials in use 3 - Regenerate natural systems Using these principles, we can create a system that restores biodiversity, addresses climate change, and makes the most of our planet’s limited resources. Such a system could work for the economy, society, and environment - making it a truly sustainable model for our future prosperity. About The Ellen MacArthur Foundation The Ellen MacArthur Foundation, an international charity, develops and promotes the idea of a circular economy in order to tackle some of the biggest challenges of our time, such as plastic pollution, climate change, and biodiversity loss. We work with, and aim to inspire, business, academia, policymakers, and institutions to mobilise systems solutions at scale, globally.

What will it take to transform our throwaway economy into one where waste is eliminated, resources are circulated, and nature is regenerated? The circular economy gives us the tools to tackle climate change and biodiversity loss together, while addressing important social needs. It gives us the power to grow prosperity, jobs, and resilience while cutting greenhouse gas emissions, waste, and pollution. About the Circular Economy The circular economy is a new way to design, make, and use things within the limits of our planet. In the natural world, materials and nutrients cycle continuously, allowing the Earth’s biosphere to regenerate and for all lifeforms - humans included - to flourish. This insight lies at the heart of the circular economy. Instead of using things for a short time before throwing them away, in a circular economy everything is designed to fit within a cycle so it can be used again and again. The concept is based on three principles, driven by design, and underpinned by a transition to renewable energy: 1 - Eliminate waste and pollution 2 - Keep products and materials in use 3 - Regenerate natural systems Using these principles, we can create a system that restores biodiversity, addresses climate change, and makes the most of our planet’s limited resources. Such a system could work for the economy, society, and environment - making it a truly sustainable model for our future prosperity. About The Ellen MacArthur Foundation The Ellen MacArthur Foundation, an international charity, develops and promotes the idea of a circular economy in order to tackle some of the biggest challenges of our time, such as plastic pollution, climate change, and biodiversity loss. We work with, and aim to inspire, business, academia, policymakers, and institutions to mobilise systems solutions at scale, globally.

Using this Circular Brand presentation rethink how we use precious materials and work towards creating your own circular fashion brand. Included is an introduction to the circular economy, a focus on circular fashion and finally a challenge where participants create their own circular fashion brand. About the Circular Economy The circular economy is a new way to design, make, and use things within the limits of our planet. In the natural world, materials and nutrients cycle continuously, allowing the Earth’s biosphere to regenerate and for all lifeforms - humans included - to flourish. This insight lies at the heart of the circular economy. Instead of using things for a short time before throwing them away, in a circular economy everything is designed to fit within a cycle so it can be used again and again. The concept is based on three principles, driven by design, and underpinned by a transition to renewable energy: 1 - Eliminate waste and pollution 2 - Keep products and materials in use 3 - Regenerate natural systems Using these principles, we can create a system that restores biodiversity, addresses climate change, and makes the most of our planet’s limited resources. Such a system could work for the economy, society, and environment - making it a truly sustainable model for our future prosperity. About The Ellen MacArthur Foundation The Ellen MacArthur Foundation, an international charity, develops and promotes the idea of a circular economy in order to tackle some of the biggest challenges of our time, such as plastic pollution, climate change, and biodiversity loss. We work with, and aim to inspire, business, academia, policymakers, and institutions to mobilise systems solutions at scale, globally.

World record-breaking sailor Dame Ellen MacArthur has spent a lot of time on the high seas. She reveals how these experiences sparked a revelation about how to manage finite resources on our planet. In this video, hear why she’s optimistic about transitioning to a circular economy, a system where we dramatically reduce waste and pollution. About The Circular Economy The circular economy is a new way to design, make, and use things within the limits of our planet. In the natural world, materials and nutrients cycle continuously, allowing the Earth’s biosphere to regenerate and for all lifeforms - humans included - to flourish. This insight lies at the heart of the circular economy. Instead of using things for a short time before throwing them away, in a circular economy everything is designed to fit within a cycle so it can be used again and again. The concept is based on three principles, driven by design, and underpinned by a transition to renewable energy: 1 - Eliminate waste and pollution 2 - Keep products and materials in use 3 - Regenerate natural systems Using these principles, we can create a system that restores biodiversity, addresses climate change, and makes the most of our planet’s limited resources. Such a system could work for the economy, society, and environment - making it a truly sustainable model for our future prosperity. About The Ellen MacArthur Foundation The Ellen MacArthur Foundation, an international charity, develops and promotes the idea of a circular economy in order to tackle some of the biggest challenges of our time, such as plastic pollution, climate change, and biodiversity loss. We work with, and aim to inspire, business, academia, policymakers, and institutions to mobilise systems solutions at scale, globally.

What do you learn when you sail around the world on your own? When solo sailor Ellen MacArthur circled the globe – carrying everything she needed with her – she came back with new insight into the way the world works, as a place of interlocking cycles and finite resources, where the decisions we make today affect what’s left for tomorrow. She proposes a bold new way to see the world’s economic systems: not as linear, but as circular, where everything comes around. About The Circular Economy The circular economy is a new way to design, make, and use things within the limits of our planet. In the natural world, materials and nutrients cycle continuously, allowing the Earth’s biosphere to regenerate and for all lifeforms - humans included - to flourish. This insight lies at the heart of the circular economy. Instead of using things for a short time before throwing them away, in a circular economy everything is designed to fit within a cycle so it can be used again and again. The concept is based on three principles, driven by design, and underpinned by a transition to renewable energy: 1 - Eliminate waste and pollution 2 - Keep products and materials in use 3 - Regenerate natural systems Using these principles, we can create a system that restores biodiversity, addresses climate change, and makes the most of our planet’s limited resources. Such a system could work for the economy, society, and environment - making it a truly sustainable model for our future prosperity. About The Ellen MacArthur Foundation The Ellen MacArthur Foundation, an international charity, develops and promotes the idea of a circular economy in order to tackle some of the biggest challenges of our time, such as plastic pollution, climate change, and biodiversity loss. We work with, and aim to inspire, business, academia, policymakers, and institutions to mobilise systems solutions at scale, globally.

Digital technologies and new business models are opening up the possibility of an economy based on the idea of stock optimisation. What if people or firms paid for the performance of goods and then handed them back when they no longer needed them? There is growing evidence that this is a smart route to take, generating positive returns for society, for the environment, and for the economy. About The Circular Economy The circular economy is a new way to design, make, and use things within the limits of our planet. In the natural world, materials and nutrients cycle continuously, allowing the Earth’s biosphere to regenerate and for all lifeforms - humans included - to flourish. This insight lies at the heart of the circular economy. Instead of using things for a short time before throwing them away, in a circular economy everything is designed to fit within a cycle so it can be used again and again. The concept is based on three principles, driven by design, and underpinned by a transition to renewable energy: 1 - Eliminate waste and pollution 2 - Keep products and materials in use 3 - Regenerate natural systems Using these principles, we can create a system that restores biodiversity, addresses climate change, and makes the most of our planet’s limited resources. Such a system could work for the economy, society, and environment - making it a truly sustainable model for our future prosperity. About The Ellen MacArthur Foundation The Ellen MacArthur Foundation, an international charity, develops and promotes the idea of a circular economy in order to tackle some of the biggest challenges of our time, such as plastic pollution, climate change, and biodiversity loss. We work with, and aim to inspire, business, academia, policymakers, and institutions to mobilise systems solutions at scale, globally.