As Professor of Sustainable Consumption at Strathclyde Business School, leading on the school’s sustainability strategy and developing the Climate Solutions Programme, Professor Iain Black has been a key contributor to a new report on Scotland's circular economy.
Professor Black is a member of the Advisory Board for a Zero Waste Scotland report which found that, by building its circular economy, Scotland can reduce its material consumption by 43% - continuing its position as a climate leader.
The Circularity Gap Report Scotland launched By Zero Waste Scotland in collaboration with Netherlands based pioneers Circle Economy, calls on Scottish policymakers and business leaders to prioritise the circular economy in their climate action.
The report finds that people in Scotland consume too much: 22 tonnes per person, per year. This is more than twice as many materials as the global average. And while 1.3% of these are cycled back into the economy, over 98% of these materials come from virgin sources. Such overconsumption exhausts the planet's ecosystems.
The Circularity Gap Report Scotland outlines seven circular strategies that policymakers and businesses can use to shrink Scotland's material footprint by 43%. They are grounded in reuse, repair and remanufacturing, helping to make sectors like the built environment and manufacturing more circular.
Find out more in the Circularity Gap Report: Circularity Gap Report December 2022 | Zero Waste Scotland