How circularity can contribute to emissions reductions in Canada

The report argues that transitioning from a "take, make, waste" economy to a circular one is essential for Canada to meet its climate targets, as energy transitions alone cannot address emissions from resource extraction and material use. It identifies significant emissions-reduction opportunities in the metals, construction, plastics, and food sectors, while noting that Canada is currently at a nascent stage of implementation compared to leaders like Japan and the European Union. The document emphasizes that 'upstream' measures—such as demand suppression, product life extension, and smarter design—offer greater climate benefits than downstream recycling. It highlights critical barriers in Canada, including opaque material flow data, regulatory hurdles for recycled aggregates, and a lack of comprehensive national circularity goals. The report recommends that Canada develop a formal roadmap, integrate circularity into its Nationally Determined Contributions, and utilize tools like carbon pricing and green public procurement to incentivize the shift.

• Current climate initiatives focused solely on zero-carbon energy or carbon capture are insufficient to reach net zero goals because material handling and use account for 70 per cent of global greenhouse gas emissions.
• The Ellen MacArthur Foundation suggests that implementing circularity in five key sectors—cement, steel, plastic, aluminum, and food—could eliminate nearly half of the remaining emissions from goods production, totaling 9.3 billion tonnes of CO2e by 2050.
• In Canada, 'upstream' circularity measures such as product reuse and lifetime extension offer significantly higher emissions reductions than recycling; for example, emissions in the vehicle and electronics industries could be divided by 2 or 3 through these methods.
• The construction sector presents a major opportunity for emissions reduction, with estimates suggesting a suite of circular strategies could reduce emissions by approximately one third.
• Canada's plastics economy is primarily linear, with only an estimated 9 per cent of plastic waste recycled and 86 per cent landfilled as of 2016.
• The report identifies a significant 'rebound effect' risk where circularity or efficiency gains lead to increased product demand or the retention of older, less energy-efficient products, potentially offsetting emissions reductions.
• Canada lacks a comprehensive national framework for circularity, with most efforts siloed at the provincial or municipal levels, unlike the European Union's Circular Economy Action Plan or the Dutch goal of full circularity by 2050.
• Measuring the impact of circularity in Canada is hindered by opaque data on material flows, as the country does not track these flows as comprehensively as the European Union.
• Japan is highlighted as a global leader in circularity due to its cultural commitment to resource value, comprehensive consumer-friendly collection systems, and a legal requirement for manufacturers to co-own recycling infrastructure.

APA

Cundiff, B., Trottier-Chi, C., Smith, R., Beck, M., & Bataille, C. (2023). How circularity can contribute to emissions reductions in Canada. Canadian Climate Institute. https://climateinstitute.ca/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/how-circularity-can-contribute-emissions-reductions-canada.pdf

Chicago

Cundiff, Brad, Calvin Trottier-Chi, Rick Smith, Marisa Beck, and Chris Bataille. How circularity can contribute to emissions reductions in Canada. Canadian Climate Institute, 2023. https://climateinstitute.ca/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/how-circularity-can-contribute-emissions-reductions-canada.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Cundiff |first1=Brad |last2=Trottier-Chi |first2=Calvin |last3=Smith |first3=Rick |last4=Beck |first4=Marisa |last5=Bataille |first5=Chris |title=How circularity can contribute to emissions reductions in Canada |publisher=Canadian Climate Institute |date=March 2023 |url=https://climateinstitute.ca/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/how-circularity-can-contribute-emissions-reductions-canada.pdf |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{cundiff2023how, author = {Cundiff, Brad and Trottier-Chi, Calvin and Smith, Rick and Beck, Marisa and Bataille, Chris}, title = {{How circularity can contribute to emissions reductions in Canada}}, institution = {Canadian Climate Institute}, year = {2023}, month = mar, url = {https://climateinstitute.ca/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/how-circularity-can-contribute-emissions-reductions-canada.pdf}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }