We can’t limit warming to 1.5 degrees unless we tackle emissions from our extractive linear system

The circular economy and decarbonization are closely interconnected and mutually reinforcing concepts when it comes to achieving sustainable development and mitigating climate change.?

Put simply, we can’t limit warming to 1.5 degrees unless we tackle emissions from our extractive linear system.?

While energy transition and decarbonisation measures rightly or wrongly attract the bulk of our collective attention, energy transition and energy efficiency can only address 55% of global emissions. The remaining 45% comes from how we manufacture the products we use in our everyday lives.

According to the the Ellen MacArthur Foundation,?‘tackling five key areas (cement, aluminium, steel, plastics, and food) can eliminate almost half of the remaining emissions from the production of goods – 9.3 billion tonnes of CO2e in 2050 – equivalent to cutting current emissions from all transport to zero’. We highly recommending heading across to?ellenmacarthurfoundation.org?and downloading the full report.?

On the 26th June, the Australia Pacific Climate Change & Circular Economy Dialogue will highlight the interconnection between climate change and circular economy and how eliminating waste, circulating materials and regenerating nature will be critical to achieving emissions reduction targets in the region. Speakers from Australia, Fiji, Papua New Guinea, Samoa and Vanuatu will discuss the impacts of climate change on people, land and natural resources and explore how circular economy approaches in society, industry and infrastructure can reduce these impacts, create jobs and build a more climate resilient Pacific.

Regional government leaders shaping climate change and environmental policy today will share how their countries are addressing these issues and identify shared opportunities for us to collaborate, accelerate and scale solutions, together as a region.

Speakers:

• Frances Reupena, Chief Executive Officer, Climate Change, Ministry of Natural Resources & the Environment, Samoa
• Ralph Regenvanu, Minister for Climate Change, Vanuatu
• Lynda Tabuya, Minister for Women, Children and Poverty Alleviation, Fiji
• Kushaal Raj, Director, Climate Change Division, Office of the Prime Minister, Fiji
• Matthew England, Scientia Professor, UNSW

To register for the dinner please visit to reserve your seat.

We also still have a few spare seats to the Australian Circular Economy Forum 2023, held at UNSW Roundhouse on the 26th June 9am-5pm. More about the Forum here.

Looking forward to seeing you soon.

Tony Gourlay