N° 76 - Octobre 2014 - L'économie circulaire : les enjeux économiques d'une transition écologique

Économie circulaire : les enjeux économiques d’une transition écologique

Par Janez POTOČNIK,
Ex-Commissaire européen pour l’Environnement

Né à une époque où les ressources étaient abondantes et quasi gratuites, le modèle économique actuel a toujours fait une utilisation intensive desdites ressources, ce qui a conduit à la dégradation de notre capital naturel et a contribué au changement climatique. Il est aujourd’hui indispensable de rompre avec ce modèle linéaire (extraire, fabriquer, utiliser, jeter) au profit d’un modèle circulaire qui prône non seulement une utilisation optimisée de chaque ressource, mais aussi une réutilisation de celle-ci. La concrétisation d’un tel changement exige la mise en œuvre de stratégies ambitieuses, c’est ce à quoi s’emploie aujourd’hui la Commission européenne.

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N° 76 - October 2014 - The circular economy: the economic stakes of an environmental transition

The circular economy: The economic stakes of an environmental transition

Janez POTOČNIK,
ex EU Commissioner for the Environment

Originating at a time when natural resources were abundant and cost very little, our current economic paradigm has always been characterized by an intensive use of resources. This has led to a dete- rioration of our stock of “natural” capital and contributed to climate change. We must now make a break with this linear model (extract, manufacture, use, throw away) in favor of a circular one that not only optimizes the use of each resource but also reuses them. Realizing such a change requires ambitious strategies, now the focus of the European Commission’s efforts. The circular economy’s growth in China Jean-Claude LEVY, historian-geographer, general rapporteur of a task force on the circular economy in development under the minis- ter-delegate of Development in October 2013 and member of a com- mittee of experts at the Institute of the Circular Economy; and Vincent AUREZ, rapporteur of this task force and scientific consul- tant, Ministry of Foreign Affairs The policies related to a circular economy are analyzed that have been conducted in China since 2009 as part of a development strat- egy based on the variety of territorial subdivisions involved. Are such policies, decided at each level of territorial organization, a genuine alternative or a dejà-vu? Chinese policies related to the circular economy stand out from what Germany, the Netherlands or Japan have adopted owing not only to their method of implantation but also to their limitations. China is the only developing country that is pursuing the adventure of a circular economy. Since this new “unidentified object” inherently bears a systemic viewpoint on both techniques and principles, how to measure or assess it? The challenges and limitations of such policies are described along with the particularities that make this national policy a model that can be neither imported nor exported. The major axes for developing a circular economy policy François-Michel LAMBERT, MP from Bouches-du-Rhône Department, president of the Institute of the Circular Economy and vice-president of the National Assembly’s Committee on Sustainable Development and Territorial Planning; and Laurent GEORGEAULT, technical advisor at the Institute of the Circular Economy and doc- toral student at the University of Paris I Pantheon Sorbonne (Laboratory Geography-Cities,CRIA) France and Europe are preparing for the transition from a linear to a circular econoy. What are the grounds for this public policy? Which factors to take into account for extending this concept to a whole nation? The major axes of this transition are examined; an interpre- tation is proposed of France’s political commitment; and policy pro- posals are submitted for debate.

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Kreislaufwirtschaft : die wirtschaftlichen Herausforderungen einer ökologischen Wende

Janez POTOČNIK,
ehemaliger europäischer Kommissar für Umweltfragen

Das aktuelle Wirtschaftsmodell, das in einer Epoche entstand, in der die Ressourcen im Überfluss vorhanden und quasi gratis waren, hat von diesen Ressourcen immer einen intensiven Gebrauch gemacht, was eine Degradation unseres natürlichen Kapitals zur Folge hatte und zum Klimawandel beigetragen hat.
Es ist heute unbedingt notwendig, mit diesem linearen Modell (abbauen, herstellen,  benutzen, wegwerfen) zu brechen, um eine Kreislaufwirtschaft einzuführen, die nicht nur eine optimierte Nutzung jeder Ressource fordert, sondern auch deren Wiederverwendung.
Zur Ausführung einer solchen Veränderung bedarf es ehrgeiziger Strategien, und für diese Aufgabe setzt sich die Europäische Kommission heute ein.

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N° 76 - Octubre 2014 - La economía circular, los problemas económicos de una transición ecológica

Economía circular, los problemas económicos de una transición ecológica

Janez Potočnik,
ex Comisario europeo para el medio ambiente

Nuestro actual modelo económico, creado en la era cuando los recursos eran abundantes y prácticamente gratuitos, ha hecho siempre un amplio uso de estos recursos, lo que ha producido una degradación de nuestro capital natural y contribuido al cambio climático.
En nuestros días, es esencial romper con este modelo lineal (extraer, fabricar, utilizar, desechar) y adoptar un modelo circular, que no sólo aboga por una mejor utilización de los recursos, sino también por su reutilización.
La realización de tal cambio necesita la puesta en marcha de estrategias ambiciosas sobre las cuales trabaja actualmente la Comisión Europea.

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