Brazil’s mining sector has underpinned national growth and is a major global supplier of iron ore, bauxite, niobium and copper. However, the linear model is producing declining ore grades, rising waste volumes and growing environmental and social pressures.

To remain competitive, Brazil must shift to a circular model. Strategies such as reprocessing tailings, recovering by-products, designing for reuse and establishing closed-loop partnerships can unlock significant economic and environmental value.

This report looks at circular solutions being implemented in the mining sector and how designing urban renewable energy systems for reuse will turn cities into urban mines.

Every year, our global economy consumes around 100 billion tonnes of resources — three quarters of which it cannot replenish. This reliance on a constant flow of virgin raw materials leaves our economies increasingly exposed to price shocks, supply disruptions and the universal inefficiencies of resource waste. One direct way to relieve this pressure is to keep materials circulating at their highest value.

Paper recycling is one of Europe’s greatest circular economy achievements. However, regulatory fragmentation, market imbalances and rising operational risks are placing pressure on recyclers.

Recycling Europe calls on EU policymakers to act. This manifesto proposes four measures to safeguard the success story of paper recycling:

• Design circular paper products: recycling should be expected and the CEA should drive demand;
• Reduce EU administrative burdens: EU-wide rules on end-of-waste criteria for recovered paper and shipments are needed;
• Secure access to global markets for recovered paper: not all recovered paper can be re-used within Europe;
• Address the fire risk from lithium batteries in waste management facilities: proper waste sorting is crucial.