Circular Solutions to Protect Biodiversity

🌱 What is biodiversity?

Biodiversity refers to the number of species in a community of organisms[i] — meaning how varied an ecological environment is.

🌱 Why is it important to protect biodiversity?

Climate change and emissions have often been seen as the focal point for environmental damage. Nowadays, luckily, also the conservation of nature and the protection of biodiversity are seen as urgent and addressed more frequently. Currently, the biodiversity of our living environments is decreasing due to human activities. This, in turn, is creating a risk for human well-being and for our economies. It is also putting environments and other species at risk.[ii]

🌱 Can circular solutions protect biodiversity?

Advancing circularity in the food and agriculture, construction, textiles, and forestry sectors can slow down or even reverse biodiversity loss. It is estimated that by 2035 circular solutions could allow global biodiversity to recover to levels equivalent to those of 2000.[iii]

🌱 What examples of regenerating solutions are there?

A few examples of regenerating solutions include the Dutch company Corbion who is developing algae-based fish oil substitutes to decrease the need for animal products, the Finnish Parmaco Group who is leasing buildings to avoid land use and need for new building materials, as well as the UK-based Colorfix who is creating natural coloring processes to replace harmful and toxic textile dyes that may leave long-lasting effects in the environment.[iv]

This post has been adapted from a newsletter written by Saskia Tykkyläinen and Christine Nikander for a collaboration between Palsa & Pulk and The E-Waste Column. The newsletter titled “How can we design a circular economy?” was originally published in both “The Just Transition Newsletter” and “The E-Waste Newsletter”.

[i] https://www.eea.europa.eu/help/glossary/chm-biodiversity/biological-diversity

[ii] https://www.sitra.fi/en/articles/adopt-circular-solutions-to-reach-global-goals-for-nature%ef%bf%bc/

[iii] https://www.sitra.fi/en/events/tackling-root-causes-halting-biodiversity-loss-through-the-circular-economy%EF%BF%BC/

[iv] https://www.sitra.fi/en/news/circular-solutions-tackle-biodiversity-loss-and-unlock-business-growth-see-europes-top-30-list/