It is now common knowledge that modern business practices, founded on principles of overconsumption, excess, and profits over everything, are not sustainable. There are a finite amount of resources on this planet we call home, and at this current juncture, we are expending these very same resources faster than we can recover them.
One way this overconsumption is marked is through Earth Overshoot Day, an annual event that marks the date when humanity has used all the biological resources that Earth regenerates in an entire year. In an ideal world, Earth Overshoot Day would fall exactly on December 31, indicating that we are able to restore the resources consumed in a year by the end of the year – creating an equilibrium rather than a resource ‘deficit’ and maintaining a sustainable ecosystem for years to come.
Sad to say, this isn’t the case in 2022. This year’s Earth Overshoot Day is forecasted to land on July 28, meaning that we would have consumed a year’s worth of resources just before two-thirds of the year is through. The remaining four months’ worth of resources for 2022 are taken out of next year’s total, creating a negative feedback loop in which mankind continuously borrows from the bank of future resources with increasing interest.
Doomsday scenarios aside, there is a very real fear of what would happen when this metaphorical bank eventually goes bust.
Lest this sounds like fearmongering, there are thankfully ways and means to circumvent irreparable damage to the environment.
One major solution that has been proposed in recent years is the idea of a Circular Bioeconomy (CBE). A Circular Bioeconomy is a revolutionary model powered by nature that emphasizes the use of renewable, natural capital and focuses on reducing waste. It aims to wholly eliminate reliance on the wide range of non-renewable, fossil-based products that are currently in use.
The key difference between a Circular Bioeconomy versus traditional models of resource allocation and consumption is that this approach seeks to keep materials in use for as long as possible.
Other actions to lower society’s overall carbon footprint can also be considered part of the Circular Bioeconomy, such as incentivizing emission-reducing practices. Proper adoption of this system also involves carefully and intentionally crafting land and marine ecosystems in a circular manner, employing technological innovations to manufacture more sustainable materials and spur natural regeneration.
Fundamentally, the concept of a Circular Bioeconomy seeks to challenge modern practices of waste and overconsumption by considering multiple use principles and extending the product life cycle of goods. Instead of looking at goods as short-term tools, the Circular Bioeconomy invites manufacturers and consumers alike to re-examine how they might get the most value out of their material goods.
While a Circular Bioeconomy is founded on five core components, these principles can be examined in specific practices:
Utilizing Renewable Energy
One of the foundations of establishing a Circular Bioeconomy, renewable energy is a necessity moving forward as a replacement for traditional fossil fuels.
In industries such as manufacturing where a significant amount of fossil fuels are burnt up and used in order to generate energy for operations, heavy carbon emissions occur as a result of day-to-day business. Pivoting towards renewable energies significantly cuts down on CO2 emissions in the short term, while businesses can also gradually adopt other emission-reducing practices to create a comprehensive carbon management strategy.
On that note, there are already existing businesses leveraging on the value of renewable energy in order to cut down on their carbon footprint. One example is Asia Pulp and Paper (APP) Sinar Mas, which uses up to 57% renewable fuels in its manufacturing process of pulp, paper, and tissue products. Asia Pulp and Paper also generates 59% of its total energy from renewable fuels, while 80% of their paper mills have been fitted with ISO 50001 certified energy management systems. The ISO 50001 certification is an international certification that provides a practical way to assess, improve, and recognize sustainable energy use in companies.
Recycling and Reusing Materials
Other components of the Circular Bioeconomy stress the importance of reducing resource use and reusing materials from post-use goods via recycling. This is in response to critiques of the current economic model prioritizing mass production and maximizing time to customers as typical market practices. To optimize for these results however, manufacturers fail to account for their negative impacts on the environment, prioritizing profits and market share over sustainability. As a result, some industries such as manufacturing can end up contributing to 10% of the total Global Warming Potential annually.
Following the principles of this sustainable economy, stakeholders must firstly cut down on resource use and produce what is only necessary. Once the utilization period of goods has been extended, the global marketplace will see a shrink in overall demand. As a response, manufacturers must adjust resource use to account for this change, instead of overproducing goods and wasting finite resources.
As a final step in this process, recycling post-use materials that would normally go to waste serves as the second approach towards developing a Circular Bioeconomy. With up to 40% of its fiber sources for paper production being recycled, Asia Pulp and Paper demonstrates a core principle of the Circular Bioeconomy by reducing waste and utilizing post-use materials as part of its manufacturing process.
Resource Conservation
Casting our attention back to the implications of World Overshoot Day, it is imperative for stakeholders in a Circular Bioeconomy to dedicate significant investment to replenishing the natural capital “borrowed” from the ecosystem. According to studies, scientists found that formerly lush rainforests like the Amazon that have become victims of logging are currently nearing the tipping point of resilience. Due to dwindling numbers, moisture levels in the rainforest have also dipped below the point of sustainability. Should key forested areas such as these see any further degradation, a vicious cycle of cause and effect will eventually trigger irreversible damage that will have severe repercussions around the world.
On an optimistic note, current measures being implemented by individuals and entities alike to restore this natural balance appear to be making great process while other stakeholders with even more ambitious goals set their sights on the future to do more and contribute their part. Asia Pulp and Paper is one such company that has designated Forest Protection as one of its top three priorities for 2030, with special initiatives towards conserving critical peatland ecosystems in Indonesia while protecting the delicate biodiversity of flora and fauna.
Establishing the Circular Bioeconomy
Altering the current world economic system and implementing a Circular Bioeconomy is an uphill task, but it all begins with organizations and corporations like Asia Pulp and Paper taking the first step and pledging to make a difference. Every little bit goes a long way towards combating climate change, and the sum of sustainable actions within the scope of a Circular Bioeconomy will count towards replenishing Earth’s wealth of natural resources.
