The North Sea Resource Rondabout

Introduction on:

In population• 7 in 2015 -> 10 in 2050, and 12,6 in2100

• 2150: between 3.2 and 24.8!

In demand • In food: more people eat more meat/

dairy

• 67% more electricity- demand in 2050

• Materials – for cars, bottles, houses and clothes

Prognoses

World-wide growth

Example: wasted food

• 11% of global CO2 emissions as a result of wasted food

• 29m tonnes of wasted dairy products in Europe

• €565bn wasted annually worldwide

• 1 billion obese and 1 billion people die from malnutrition

Current Situation

Resource Inefficiency

Example: plastic soup

• Plastic takes 750 years to be broken down

• 1-10% of ocean surface = garbage patch- much “lost” below surface

• 80% originates from main land, 20% from ships

Current Situation

Resource Inefficiency

Essence of the model

1. Decoupling of economic growth and consumption of finite resources

2. Distinguishing and seperating technical and biological materials

3. Optimising and maintenance of resource stocks.

4. Providing innovation on product design and business models

5. Establishing a resilient framework in the longer term.

From Linear to Circular Economy

… as a solution for resource inefficiency

• Logic step

• Virtual roundabout

• Good starting position

- Waste

- Design

- Materials

- Logistics

Resource Roundabout

… as a form of circular economy

Efficient use of resources

• European agreements on quality of resources

• Abolishment of regulatory barriers and the use of possibilities in existing regulation

• Involvement of private actors

• Alternative purchasing policies of governments

• Efficient logistics: use of harbours

Idea: North Sea Resource Rondabout

‘Experimental zone’ within the EU:

• More room for regional initiatives within EU

• Experimental zone for a circular economy

• European agreement on recycling

• Cross-border proximity

• Good results of existing UK-Dutch collaboration

North Sea Resource Roundabout

How to achieve?

Ecological advantages of the North Sea Resource Roundabout:

• Less dependency on fossil fuels and ressource suppliers

• Improved Sustainability

• Leading project for resource efficiency in EU

Ecological opportunities

Economic advantages of the North Sea Resource Roundabout:

• Cost optimisation

• Reduction of price volatility

• More certainty for companies by public-private cooperation

Economic opportunities

New Objectives?

• Extended public-private cooperation- setting up new partnerships

• Specialisation in secondary material production in different harbors

• Common North Sea strategy for resource efficiency – in run up to the new circular economy packeage

• EU agreement on recycling and re-use

Next Steps

Towards a Green Deal?

Ciruclar Economy Conference London 20150302 Stientje van Veldhoven

Thank you for your attention