The report ‘Employment and the circular economy: job creation in a more resource efficient Britain’ claims that a growth in resource efficiency practices would have ‘lasting effects’ on the British Labour market, due to the “intensive” use of labour in the related sectors.
According to WRAP, the jobs could be found through an increase in activities such as reuse, closed and open loop recycling, biorefining or repair and remanufacture. Service models, which could include product maintenance and take back schemes as well as rental and peer-to-peer sharing models, also hold “much potential” according to WRAP and the Green Alliance.
The report adds that regions where unemployment is higher, such as the North East and West Midlands could see the greatest impact in job creation, especially among low to mid skilled occupations where job losses are projected for the future.
Consumption
Speaking at the launch of the report in London yesterday evening, WRAP chief executive Liz Goodwin said: “If the seven billion people currently on the planet had the UK’s resource consumption, it would take three planets to supply demand.
“Looking ahead, rising demands, particularly stemming from the rapid growth in the global middle class, mean that pressures on the earth’s resources are likely to continue to increase. This means we face a future of global competition for resources.
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“All compounded by increasing instabilities in regions of the world and other supply risks, such as the environmental impacts of extracting resources. Put bluntly, if we carry on consuming at the rate we do we face a future of highs and lows. High demand, and high costs for goods. Yet lower levels of supply, and lower supply chain resilience.
“Highs and lows which only really equal lows. So the challenge we have is creating growth in austere times, against the backdrop of future consumption challenges. The circular economy, being more resource efficient, is central in addressing these challenges.”
‘Trajectories’
In the report, WRAP and the Green Alliance assess three scenarios representing the different “development trajectories” of the circular economy, with a limited increase in activities, a continuation on current trajectory, and with significant increases in recycling and remanufacturing.
The report goes on to conclude that growth of circular economy activities could create 31,000 gross jobs in scenario one, 205,000 in scenario two and 517,000 in scenario three.
Matthew Spencer, Director, Green Alliance added: “At a time when many are worried about where jobs will come from in future, it is a tantalising prospect to have a sector which offers a wide range of new jobs right across the country, especially in regions with high unemployment.
“To be able to stimulate these new jobs in remanufacturing and reuse we will need government to play its part in setting higher standards for product and resource recovery.”
For a more views on the circular economy, log in to the ‘Industrial Solutions to a Circular Economy’ webinar tomorrow (January 21) hosted by letsrecycle.com. For more information, click here.
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