Last World Wildlife Day, we celebrated the unique role and contributions of wildlife to people and the planet. The UK’s Biodiversity is unfortunately declining, with 38% of species decreasing in population, and 16% of species threatened with extinction in Great Britain.

One of the key ways we can conserve wildlife is by avoiding biodiversity impacts by promoting the circular economy. Through waste prevention, reuse and the use of recycled or recovered materials, we can reduce the need for virgin material extraction, which has a significant impact on the natural environment. According to the United Nations, the extraction and processing of materials, fuels and food contribute half of total greenhouse gas emissions and over 90% of global biodiversity loss and water stress. The waste industry has a clear role to play in addressing this.

The long-awaited implementation of Collection and Packaging Reforms, as well as new efforts to stimulate a more circular economy which is being developed by the Government’s Circular Economy Task Force, will be essential to not only to achieve a sectoral net-zero emissions by 2040, but to help prevent further biodiversity loss.

The ESA has warned that achieving our ambitious goal of net-zero emissions by 2040 will require swift, long-term and well-designed policy interventions to unlock investment in new circular economy infrastructure. With this year’s World Wildlife Day theme, “Wildlife Conservation Finance: Investing in People and Planet,” we recognise how these policies driving investment also help protect wildlife.

Biodiversity and the resources and waste sector

As well as through the circular economy, we encourage the sector to consider it’s direct and indirect impacts on biodiversity in its operations, ensuring members consider their nature impacts beyond compliance. In 2022, we published the Nature Positive Toolkit which provides a bespoke guide for waste operators to assess and mitigate their nature impacts across their business. 

This World Wildlife Day, let’s encourage investment in a circular future—because a thriving planet benefits us all.

See our Biodiversity Best Practice Guide for more information on role of the sector and policy landscape.”

ENDS