Lier la transformation économique aux objectifs de l’économie circulaire

This research paper by Colette van der Ven argues that African nations must proactively integrate circular economy principles into their clothing and textile industries to achieve sustainable industrialization (SDG 9) and sustainable consumption and production (SDG 12). The author highlights opportunities in sustainable input production, green manufacturing, and the repurposing of second-hand clothing imports to drive economic transformation and maintain competitiveness, particularly in the European Union market.

• The clothing industry has a significant environmental footprint, contributing 10% of global carbon emissions—exceeding the combined emissions of international flights and shipping—and ranking as the second most water-intensive sector.
• African countries face a critical need to transition to circular production to maintain access to the European Union, their primary export market for clothing, due to the upcoming Ecodesign for Sustainable Products Regulation which will mandate strict performance requirements and digital product passports.
• There is a significant opportunity for Africa to increase the value of its exports through vertical integration by producing sustainable cotton or developing alternative fibers from regional plants such as pineapple, bamboo, coconut, and banana. Currently, approximately 90% of the continent's raw cotton is exported to Asia for processing before being shipped back to Africa.
• Green manufacturing can provide African countries with a competitive advantage over Asian suppliers who have not yet fully adopted circular production. Examples include Ghana's use of wastewater treatment plants and eco-labels, and Ethiopia's Hawassa Industrial Park, which is Africa's first zero-emission textile park using renewable energy and zero-liquid discharge wastewater treatment.
• Africa is the world's largest market for used clothing, accounting for over 30% of imports. While some countries consider bans to protect local industry, the author suggests this is an untapped opportunity to create jobs by transforming second-hand clothes into new products (upcycling) or recycling them into fibers.
• To scale the circular textile economy, African nations could utilize the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) to reduce tariffs and non-tariff barriers on recycled yarns and second-hand clothing, while using AfCFTA investment and intellectual property protocols to stimulate intra-African investment and technology transfer.

APA

van der Ven, C. (n.d.). Lier la transformation économique aux objectifs de l’économie circulaire. International Institute for Sustainable Development. https://www.iisd.org/fr/articles/policy-analysis/lier-la-transformation-economique-aux-objectifs-de-leconomie-circulaire

Chicago

van der Ven, Colette. Lier la transformation économique aux objectifs de l’économie circulaire. International Institute for Sustainable Development, n.d. https://www.iisd.org/fr/articles/policy-analysis/lier-la-transformation-economique-aux-objectifs-de-leconomie-circulaire.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=van der Ven |first1=Colette |title=Lier la transformation économique aux objectifs de l’économie circulaire |publisher=International Institute for Sustainable Development |url=https://www.iisd.org/fr/articles/policy-analysis/lier-la-transformation-economique-aux-objectifs-de-leconomie-circulaire |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{vandervenndlier, author = {van der Ven, Colette}, title = {{Lier la transformation économique aux objectifs de l’économie circulaire}}, institution = {International Institute for Sustainable Development}, url = {https://www.iisd.org/fr/articles/policy-analysis/lier-la-transformation-economique-aux-objectifs-de-leconomie-circulaire}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }