Potential for job creation in a circular economy

ETUI-ETUC Conference

27 – 29 June 2016

Shaping the new world of work

What is the Institut de l’économie circulaire ?

French multi-stakeholders think-tank gathering 250

members :

• Companies

• Public and Local Authorities

• Political and Academic Personalities

• NGOs

3 actions levels :

• Studies and Workshops

• Communicate and Influence

• Projects / Experimentation

Which jobs in a circular economy ?

CIRCULAR ECONOMY PILLARS (Source : Suez, translated from

ADEME)

Which jobs in a circular economy ?

Waste Management Number of full-time jobs

Waste disposal / Landfill 1

Incineration 3 to 4

Compost / methanisation 11

Deconstruction / Remanufacturing 50

Number of jobs created for 10kt of managed waste (Source

ADEME, 2013)

Which jobs in a circular economy ?

Pillar Number of jobs

Sustainable supplies 378 000

Eco-design / Industrial ecology / Product-

service-system-

Repair 150 000

Reuse 18 000

Recycling 79 000

Total 625 000

Jobs in circular economy pillars in France (Sources : ADEME, ONEMEV)

Which jobs in a circular economy ?

Jobs in circular economy pillars in France (Source : France Stratégies,

2016)

Which jobs in a circular economy ?

• Unlikely to be relocated

• Low to high skilled jobs

Job creation potential in a circular economy

Sectors Additional jobs

Packaging Recycling (2030) 10 000

Reuse, Repair 10 000 à 20 000

Energy Transition (2030) 300 000 to 600 000

Industrial ecology projects (2020) 3 700

Furniture ecodesign (2020) 3 500

Job potential in France (Sources : ADEME, Negaatt, CGEDD)

Job creation potential in a circular economy

EU / Country Hypothesis Additional Jobs

EU (GWS, 2012) - 17 % natural resources consumption 1,4 to 2,8 millions

EU (Cambridge

Eco. 2014)+ 30 % resource productivity (2030) 2 millions

UK (WRAP,

2015)

High implementation of product-service

system, recycling, remanufacturing,

reuse, biofuels

517 000

Netherlands

(TNO, 2013)Metals, WEEE, Food and agriculture 54 000

Job creation potential in a circular economy

Applying hypothesis from WRAP study to France :

• High level of recycling (85%)

• Remanufacturing of WEEE and equipement (50%)

• Reuse and product-service system

Between 450 000 and 550 000 additional jobs

Job creation potential in a circular economy

CountryGHG Emission

Reduction

Additional

Jobs

Trade Balance

Effects

France - 66% + 500 000 + 2,5% of GDP

Netherlands - 67% + 200 000 + 2,5% of GDP

Spain - 69% + 400 000 + 2% of GDP

Sweden - 66% + 100 000 + 1,5% of GDP

Finland - 68% + 75 000 + 1,5% of GDP

Source : Club of Rome, 2015. The Circular Economy and Benefits for Society

How to support the transition towards circular economy « jobs »

• More studies on economic opportunities linked

to circular economy

• Initial and continuing education

• Taxation

• Regulation