Waste management takeaways from COP30

The COP30 event held in Belem, Brazil, was unfortunately dominated by headlines surrounding which world leaders declined to make an appearance, and with protests carried out by indigenous people against deforestation.

But amongst all the drama and intrigue, COP30 has made some promising progress when it comes to waste management, progress which any small or mid-sized business owner should be aware of.

Not only will these developments impact the future of our climate and our planet, but also the future of your business.

Potential progress for Circular Economy advocates

For the first time in the 30-year history of the global climate negotiations, COP30 hosted a dedicated Circular Economy Day, highlighting the role that circular practices have in reducing waste and making the most of available resources.

Circular Economy advocates have long stressed the potential of circular practices, particularly in a business setting, to marry business needs with climate commitments, encouraging more business leaders to adopt greener business models.

Not only will a circular economy cut emissions and waste (leading to as much as 120 billion tonnes of material savings by 2050, according to some) but by moving away from a linear economy, it will create plentiful opportunities for growth, including millions of jobs relating to recycling, repair, and manufacturing.

At COP30, the World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD) and One Planet Network unveiled the Global Circularity Protocol (GCP), which is a voluntary scientific framework that aims to help companies of various sizes manage, measure, and boost circularity across the value chain.

By giving such prominence to Circular Economy advocates, COP30 is acknowledging that circular practices are not optional, but necessary for protecting the future of our planet and helping businesses shield themselves from the economic consequences of climate breakdown.

Calls for greater clarity

COP30 also provided further evidence that industry leaders are willing to pay more for services and materials with genuine circular credentials.

A study conducted by Holcim UK – a company concerned with sustainable building solutions – highlighted a growing demand within the construction industry for sustainability that is verifiable, i.e. demonstrably beneficial to the environment and not merely an example of greenwashing.

The study was commissioned to help the UK government gain a better understanding of the barriers the industry faces when it comes to adopting circular practices. It surveyed 500 UK-based industry insiders, including architects, building contractors, and haulier merchants, and showed a demand for a mandatory third-party certification of circularity, making empty greenwashing more difficult.

If such a measure were to be implemented, it has the potential to make circular practices and services a central pillar of the UK economy.

A reminder of what’s at stake

Prior to COP30, the UN Environment Programme released a report which declared the goal of limiting global heating to 1.5 degrees above pre-industrial levels effectively dead.

However, during the conference, a contradictory report was released by the non-profit climate science organisation Climate Analytics, stating that this goal is still achievable, suggesting that global warming could peak at 1.7 degrees by 2050, before falling back to 1.5 before the end of the century, but only if we take immediate and decisive action to cut emissions and reduce waste.

It is a stark reminder of what is at stake, and the role all of us must play in protecting the environment. By adopting circular practices and reducing waste, business owners can play their part in creating an economy that helps the planet, not damages it.

While world leaders discuss the future of our planet, small business owners can do their bit in many different ways. From conserving water to lowering energy consumption to more responsible commercial waste collection, there are a raft of improvements that could and should be made over the coming months and years.