The circular economy can help achieve the UN Sustainable Development Goals and reduce poverty. It promotes resource decoupling to maintain economic growth using less resources and materials, as well as impact decoupling to reduce environmental impact over a resource's lifetime. A circular economy is especially important given uncertainties around issues like climate change, resource scarcity, and emerging technologies. It provides a framework to foster green economic development while ensuring natural assets continue providing resources for well-being.

1. CIRCULAR ECONOMY AS
MEANS TO ACHIEVE
THE UN SUSTAINABLE
DEVELOPMENT GOALS
AND REDUCE POVERTY
Achim Steiner
Director, Oxford Martin School
World Circular Economy Forum, Helsinki
5 June 2017

2. Climate change
Antibiotic resistance
Emerging
viruses
Novel
biotechnologies
Oil prices
Migrant crises
Inequality
FamineTerrorism Cybersecurity Financial Stability
Political upheaval
Air pollution
Nuclear proliferation
Environmental
disasters
The Global ‘In-Tray’
There is clearly huge uncertainty…

3. Resource decoupling: using less land, water, energy & materials to
maintain economic growth
Impact decoupling: using resources wisely over their lifetime to
reduce environmental impact

4. Rapidly shifting scientific & technological landscapes
Source: Techonomy, 2016

5. Green Economy Definitions
• Multiple green economy and green growth definitions have been developed,
including the following:
– UNEP: “A green economy is one that results in improved human well-being and social equity,
while significantly reducing environmental risks and ecological scarcity.” (UNEP, Green
Economy Reports: A Preview, 2010, p. 4-5)
– OECD: ”Green growth means fostering economic growth and development while ensuring that
natural assets continue to provide the resources and environmental services on which our
well-being relies.” (Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), Towards
Green Growth, 2011, p. 9)
– Green Economy Coalition: “An economy that provides better quality of life for all within the
ecological limits of the planet” (Green Economy Coalition:
http://www.greeneconomycoalition.org/)

6. Sustainable Development Goals
The SDGs are a powerful shared vision of development
They recognise the complexity of the challenge
They are universal, and they are integrated

7. We live in a moment of great opportunity

8. www.oxfordmartin.ox.ac.uk