It is World Recycling Day – Time to get circular!

Another way to look at this is to say that it would take 1.6 Earths to produce all the renewable resources we use. As things stand today, the human population is expected to use the equivalent of 2 Earths of renewable resources per year by 2050. The effect of this overuse is a growing scarcity of resources.That’s why we must think again about what we throw away – seeing not waste, but opportunity.With recycling recognised in the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) 2030, individuals, governments and companies can take direct action to support the global green agenda.As investors, we believe recycling is a key part of the circular economy: It helps to protect our natural resources. Each year, the ‘Seventh Resource’ (recyclables) saves over 700 million tonnes in CO2 emissions. This is projected to increase to 1 billion tonnes by 2030. Recycling is a central element of the campaign to reduce the wasteful use of our natural resources.Investing in businesses that are active in (the transition towards) the circular economy can pay off in the long term. On the occasion of World Recycling Day, on 18 March, Sébastien Soleille, head of the energy transition at BNP Paribas, and Bertrand Alfandari, ETF & Index Solutions, BNP Paribas Asset Management, explain how.