This document discusses potential job creation in a circular economy. It provides estimates of jobs created in various circular economy sectors such as waste management, recycling, reuse, and repair. Estimates for France suggest that transitioning to a more circular economy could create between 450,000-550,000 additional jobs. The document also discusses job creation estimates for the European Union and some individual European countries from moving to a more circular economy model.
ETUI-ETUC conference 2016 Panel 9 Adrian Deboutière
1. Potential for job creation in a
circular economy
ETUI-ETUC Conference
27 – 29 June 2016
Shaping the new world of work
2. 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
3. Which jobs in a circular
economy ?
CIRCULAR ECONOMY PILLARS (Source : Suez, translated from
ADEME)
4. 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)
5. 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)
6. Which jobs in a circular
economy ?
Jobs in circular economy pillars in France (Source : France Stratégies,
2016)
7. Which jobs in a circular
economy ?
• Unlikely to be relocated
• Low to high skilled jobs
8. 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)
9. 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
10. 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
11. Job creation potential in a
circular economy
Country
GHG 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
12. How to support the transition
towards circular economy « jobs »
• More studies on economic opportunities linked
to circular economy
• Initial and continuing education
• Taxation
• Regulation