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Beyond Blue Sky 2025 - Chapter 9 - A Low-Carbon and Circular Economy

Low-Carbon Economy

The term low-carbon (and net-zero) economy is used often by politicians and has gained common parlance, but what do we mean by it?  In its simplest form, it is an economy less reliant on fossil fuels for energy.  A low-carbon economy will not simply be an economy powered by wind turbines, nuclear power stations, and solar panels, with electric cars and high-speed trains. Still, it will be vastly different from the one of today with new social norms (such as in our attitude towards travel) and technologies deployed (whether traditional or futuristic) to reduce our carbon-based energy use.  A net-zero economy is one with some carbon sequestration (such as by trees).

Circular Economy

Much has also been made of a future 'circular' economy where everything is recycled and reused in closed loops rather than thrown away, as is often the practice today.  Goods and services will have to be redesigned accordingly.  This is the basis of the so-called circular industrial economy - the next level beyond simply recycling waste.  This involves production and recovery, where we can ensure that end-of-life for products is designed with recovery in mind.  This would lead to significant emissions savings. I would direct the reader to Walter Stahel's User Guide on The Circular Economy by Routledge, 2019.


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