Low Carbon, the circular economy
Jeremy Barnett moderates at the Centre for Low Carbon Futures, York University 6th October
How can we respond to the twin challenges of increasing limited global resources and rising demand for fossil fuel based products? The traditional linear approach to product and system design – make, use and dump – is no longer sustainable. Full cycle whole-system thinking provides an alternative option, and for early movers, embraces sustainability for competitive advantage.
The keynote speaker at this prestigious event in York on 6th October was the Right Honorable Andrew Miller MP, Chair of the House of Commons Science and Technology Select Committee. Other speakers included Bernice Lee of Chatham House, Stef Kranendijk, CEO of Desso, Sara Eppel, Head of Sustainable Products and Consumer at DEFRA, and Dr Alan Murray of the University of Leeds Business School.
The circular economy is a generic term for an industrial economy that is, by design or intention, restorative and in which materials flows are of two types, biological nutrients, designed to reenter the biosphere safely, and technical nutrients, which are designed to circulate at high quality without entering the biosphere.
Jeremy co chaired a break out session on Education and Legal issues arising with Andrew Murray who has recently designed a new executive MBA course at Leeds University Business School. The session looked at the consequences of a failure to regulate and discussed issues around conflicts between differing regulation, and how such could be resolved.
For an excellent guide to the circular economy, view the excellent video clip below.
For more information on the Circular Economy, visit the Ellen McCarthur Foundation web site by clicking here.
Originally posted 2011-10-12 00:00:00.
