The circular economy opportunity for urban and industrial innovation in China

The circular economy opportunity for urban and industrial innovation in China was produced by the Ellen MacArthur Foundation in partnership with Arup and McKinsey & Company, supported by United Nation Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) and funded by the MAVA Foundation, with feedback from public institutions, academics and business circles in China. 

The analysis identifies opportunities across five focus areas including the built environment, mobility, nutrition, textiles and electronics, shows that applying circular economy principles at scale could save businesses and households approximately CNY70 trillion (USD10.2 trillion) by 2040 (16% of China’s projected GDP). This would enable more of China’s urban dwellers to enjoy a middle-class lifestyle, while at the same time, see China’s cities reduce emissions of fine particulate matter by 50%, emissions of greenhouse gases by 23%, and traffic congestion by 47%, by 2040.