Middle School Chennai Model United Nations 2025 | 12th April 2025 – 13th April 2025

ECOSOC Research Report

Written by JuYeon Bae, Shriya Jobanputra​
Edited and revised by the MSCHEMUN Secretariat.

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Forum: ​MSCHEMUN 2025

Committee: Economic and Social Council

Topic: Promoting Circular Economies for Sustainable Production

Chair: JuYeon Bae, Shriya Jobanputra

Introduction

To develop the current economy, a creative approach is required, taking into consideration the lack of
natural resources and the constant destruction caused by natural calamities. The concept of a Green Economy, with
no waste reuse, is being adopted in many parts of the world now. This was initially adopted by the Organisation for
Economic Cooperation and Development(OECD) countries in 2009. The central focus of this theory is to primarily
save nature along with improving economic growth by increasing the number of job opportunities. With the
introduction of a circular economy in many countries, there has been a shift from the principle of, “take, make,
dispose” to “take, make, reuse.” This has helped in maintaining the balance between the environment and the
economy, which had been impossible in the past.

A fitting approach for the development of society and its economy is the need for cooperation from all levels
ranging from the government, society, companies, and individuals. The circular economy can not only help fight
against pollution, biodiversity loss, and climate change but it can largely reduce the dependence of states on raw
materials and non-renewable energy. The current economy focuses mainly on quick profits. Manufacturers feel that
the sooner the products need to be replaced, the higher the consumption which in turn would boost the economy but
also would deplete the Earth’s natural resources very soon.

By adopting a circular economy, the risk of overusing nature can be reduced. The shift towards a circular
economy could lead to the creation of new quality jobs, especially in the Global South where most of the circular
economy activities are focused. By manufacturing more durable products, companies can cut down the need for
raw materials resulting in saving costs. It can contribute to reducing poverty and assist vulnerable groups in
developing countries. The local economy would greatly benefit by reusing raw material that is available in their
region which in turn reduces the amount of waste produced and also minimizes the dependence on imported primal
products.

​
​ ​ While the Linear economy focuses primarily on resource extraction, manufacturing, usage, and
disposal of waste, the Circular economy centers around creating sustainable products by using raw materials that
are environmentally friendly, durable, and easily recyclable. It works towards building a sustainable economic
system with the use of limited natural resources, reducing waste and negative environmental impact.

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Definition of Key Terms

Circular Economy

The circular economy is a way of producing and consuming which is based on sharing, leasing, reusing,
repairing, refurbishing, and recycling, in a given system, of existing materials and products for as long as possible.

Linear Economy

An economy where people buy a product, use it, and throw it away.

Reverse Logistics

Reverse logistics is a stage in the supply chain when a product flows from a place of sale to the
manufacturer or distributor, then to a place where it is nursed back into usage in any way — by repair, recycling, or
in the case of disposal.

Regenerative Systems

A regenerative system is a type of energy-saving system that consists of the recovery and reuse of energy
that otherwise can be discarded.

Industrial Symbiosis

Industrial symbiosis is an association between industrial facilities or companies in which the waste or
byproducts of one become the raw materials of others.

Industrial Ecology

The industrial ecology consists of a group of businesses close in proximity, which coordinate with the aim
to share resources like electricity, water, or services among themselves, to operate more efficiently and more
respectfully to the environment.

Cradle To Grave

Cradle to Grave is an assessment that considers impacts at every stage of the life cycle of a product starting
with extracting natural resources from the ground all the way through the manufacturing, transportation, and usage
stages and ultimately putting the product in the ground.

Cradle To Cradle Design

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Background Information

The circular economy portrays a revolutionary industrial system that teaches societies to avoid traditional
linear production patterns which combine taking resources, making products, and discarding them afterward.
Contrary to the working of linear production and economy, the circular framework introduces sustainability through
a recommendation for sharing, material leasing, and material reuse alongside product repairing, product
refurbishing, and material recycling to increase product longevity and reduce waste.

The urgency to implement circular economies stems from several interconnected global issues. An evident
issue would be the growing number of people worldwide creating a higher market demand for scarce resources that
strains existing natural ecological systems. At the same time, the linear economy produces large quantities of waste
exceeding 2.1 billion tonnes annually in the European Union and this excessive waste leads to severe
environmental destruction and resource exhaustion.

To counter this, the circular economic model would be of vital importance to climate change mitigation
because it presents a potential to reduce 22.8 billion tons reduction or a 39% reduction from the 2019 baseline
figures. However, for circular economies to work, the five sectors of cement production alongside aluminum
manufacturing, steel industries, plastics making, and food production require special attention due to their heavy
environmental impact.

The circular economy separates economic development from resource depletion while simultaneously
building economic opportunities for sustainable innovation industries which generate new employment
opportunities. Thus, making it crucial to implement this strategy for developing societies that sustain climate
change while promoting social equity. As governments and businesses globally accept and recognize the
importance of implementing these principles, the circular economy emerges as an effective means to create
sustainable and resilient global communities.

Origin

The circular economy concept for sustainable manufacturing developed through historical and
philosophical evolutions and practical applications to fix current linear economic system problems.
Kenneth Boulding introduced the idea in 1966 by defining the imperative for resource management to function as
an entire system with no leaks. Soon after, The 1972 Club of Rome "Limits to Growth" report with its members
warned the population about the unsustainability of unending economic growth on Earth with its finite boundaries.
Much like traditional techniques, industrial ecology and cradle-to-cradle design principles from the later part of the
20th century, encapsulated these ideas using systems in which resource efficiency would be the top priority and
mimic natural processes. Eventually, the concept of circular economies received its formal recognition through
essential insights from Walter Stahel and Genevieve Reday when they presented the vision of economy-based loops

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designed to extend resource value and reduce waste in 1976. Their research created essential elements for the
developing sustainability movement of the future.

Later, in the 21st century, China and other nations started implementing circular economy principles into
official national frameworks while the Ellen MacArthur Foundation successfully promoted global adoption of these
strategies that create sustainable economic progress with environmental strength. Additionally, the adoption of
circular economy frameworks by the European Union strengthened the importance of sustainability of the strategy,
which was linked to global climate goals, and contained commending the strategy to cut emissions as well as
encouraging innovation. Hence, the transition to circular economy evolution constitutes a critical jump toward
configuring regenerative systems generating enough things to sustain this planet’s ecosystem and society.

Industrial Ecology

The circular economy benefited from major development through the adoption of industrial ecology which
established a complete system to examine and enhance industrial material and energy circulation. Industrial
ecology is obtained from assessing industrial systems like natural ecosystems which is why production follows
ecological principles which transform waste products into secondary resources. The concept of such industrial
metabolism, which it is often referred to, emphasizes how material and energy circulate through industrial
processes, replicating natural cycles that minimize waste and maximize resource efficiency. It was in 1989 that
Robert Frosch and Nicholas Gallopoulos's “Strategies for Manufacturing” put in place the work for industrial
ecology, advocating the integration of ecological principles into industrial practices, and for the move from the
linear 'take-make-waste' model towards a more sustainable one, focused on the value of recycling and reusing
resources.

The practice of industrial symbiosis stands as one of several established methods of industrial ecology that
enables companies to exchange resources, decrease their waste output and enhance operational effectiveness. A
prime illustration emerges from the Kalundborg Eco-Industrial Park in Denmark which enables businesses to
exchange their by-products and energy creating a recycling system that minimizes resource use and environmental
damage. Industrial ecology evaluates product and process lifecycles to develop necessary assessment methods that
enable sustainable product and process design within circular economy systems. This analytical method backs
eco-design approaches which center sustainability through design requirements for long-lasting items that can get
fixed and recycled.

The fundamentals of the circular economy closely match industrial ecology because it enables waste
elimination and pollution reduction while promoting continual product circulation to maintain materials in use
while restoring nature. Industrial ecology drives efficiency enhancement and economic resilience through its
principles that also create innovation opportunities for production systems. Reliable information from industrial
ecology enables people to achieve circular economy objectives through sustainable approaches that benefit business

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operations and preserve natural systems. Thus, the development of circular economy methods remains closely
connected to industrial ecology because both fields unite to develop sustainable regenerative systems which
maintain environmental stability while encouraging economic prosperity.

Cradle To Cradle Design

Cradle to Cradle design is an innovative and sustainable method of product development considering
regenerative cycles displayed in nature. First developed by architect William McDonough and chemist Michael
Braungart in the 1990s, this design philosophy is based on the premise of creating safe and beneficial products that
have a closed-loop system, where waste is eliminated and materials are continually reused as either biological or
technical nutrients. Cradle to Cradle is meant to be the opposite of the more familiar ‘cradle to grave’ where it does
more than just enact measures to keep waste from growing.

Instead, cradle-to-cradle aspires to generate low to no waste by making certain all substances can be safely
returned to Mother Nature or can be recycled indefinitely. The concept was officially brought into being through
their seminal book 'Cradle to Cradle: Remaking the Way We Make Things' published in their famous 2002 book
that set out an alternative manufacturing methodology to conventional production. In fact, cradle-to-cradle design
takes a fresh look at human industry through nature’s perspective, to rearticulate the relationship between humans
and the environment within a comprehensive scheme of ecological thought.

This design majorly carries out the categorization of materials into biological and technical nutrients.
Technical nutrients are artificial, designed to be used multiple times on again without diminishing in quality, while
biological nutrients will naturally decompose and return to nature. By making this distinction, a complete product
life cycle approach can be taken so that all parts have an end-of-life strategy. One of its basic principles is that
waste is a resource, something that can be seen in nature as regards waste of one organism, becomes nourishment
for another.

In cradle-to-cradle design, the products are designed for utilization of their end-of-life materials as input
for the production of new products or natural processes. This facilitates the setting up of closed-loop systems, in
which materials are continuously recycled within production processes, drastically differing from the linear
processes commonly intended for the use and eventual exhaustion of available or environmentally damaging
resources. In addition, cradle-to-cradle is perfectly aligned with the principles of circular economies for sustainable
production in resource efficiency and waste reduction cases. The use of cradle-to-cradle principles in circular
economy frameworks creates products that not only meet consumer needs but also positively reinforce
environmental sustainability towards a more innovative and economically beneficial circular economy in a global
domain.

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Major Countries and Organizations Involved

The Netherlands

Being one of the biggest contributors, the Dutch government has introduced a circular economy method in
the Netherlands to recycle the raw materials consumed by the country. By 2050, raw materials from production will
not be produced and the Netherlands highly encourages the use of environmentally friendly materials. The
government has implemented strategies to optimize resource proficiency focusing on sectors like construction,
which accounts for a significant part of raw material consumption. Major initiatives include ensuring that all new
government buildings meet zero-emission standards and maximizing the use of recycled materials in construction
projects. By 2030, the country aims to reduce resource consumption by 50%, advancing towards the way for its
long-term sustainability goals. Progression at the local level especially in sustainable energy demonstrated the
growing commitment to a circular future while the national implementation faces its difficulties.

Italy

According to the Circular Economy Network, 2020 Report by the Italian Foundation for Sustainable
Development, the foundation, in collaboration with COREPLA (National Consortium for the Collection, recycling,
and Recovery of plastic packaging) has introduced measures to advance circular economy practices. Furthermore,
Italy possessed significant levels of EMAS and EU eco-label, considering its commitment to environmental
standards. Structural changes are still needed to ensure a full transition to a green economy and more efficient
resource use while policy progress is evident.

Ellen MacArthur Foundation

​ Ellen MacArthur Foundation, established in 2010 committed to creating a circular economy designed to
eliminate waste and pollution to deliver the best outcomes for people, the community, and the environment.
Currently working as a non-governmental organization fostering waste management that benefits the environment
and its nature. By promoting a sustainable circular economy, the Ellen MacArthur Foundation became one of the
major business partnerships in the UK focusing on the promotion of the circular economy as well as designing and
minimizing packaging to reduce the use of plastic and paper to provide impacts on our planet. B&Q, British
Telecom, Cisco, National Grid, and Renault afforded initial funding of £6 million for the support of finance to its
massive innovation in managing waste production and reproduction of material. The foundation promotes a circular
economy by introducing the method of reuse, repair, and recycling, emphasizing closed-loop systems that extend
products and packaging lifespans, resulting in the reduction of dependence on recycling and disposal. In 2024, the
Ellen MacArthur Foundation advanced the necessity of a circular economy with the recognition of the UN as a
major collaborator in its Environmental Programme.

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ICCE ( International Council for Circular Economy)

​ The ICCE was established in India in 2020 with the primary aim of moving towards a Circular Economy.
Along with national and state governments, the ICCE also works with the local administration and civil societies to
create conditions for the circular economy to emerge and flourish. Additionally, the ICCE provides sustainability
audit tools that help stakeholders and policymakers achieve their goal of moving to a circular economy. They also
collaborate with different sectors in helping them transform the way they generate various products and services,
bearing in mind that this could in turn influence the people around us and the economy at large. In recent years, the
ICCE has played a vital role in voicing the importance of adopting a circular economy. It has also implemented
cutting-edge labs and training programs that assist individuals and organizations in implementing sustainable
practices. In the next five years, the ICCE aims to launch projects that focus on converting organic waste into
high-quality compost, protecting natural habitats, and organizing educational campaigns to build awareness about
the impact of the circular economy on our environment.

UNCTAD (United Nations Conference on Trade and Development)

The UNCTAD has been collaborating with the Ellen MacArthur Foundation since 2015 in countries such as India
and China. The organization has already been applying circularity in many of its projects that deal with the
consumption of fossil fuels and fisheries. Resource circularity can be further developed by sanctioning national
laws and international rules which could help individual consumers and the economy. Some of the activities used
by UNCTAD to enable the circular economy are motivational speeches, planning schemes that bring out the best
from waste, understanding consumer awareness, and their changing approach towards various products.

Germany

​ The circular economy has been extensively used in Germany since 1990, with the aim of rebuilding the
nation with minimum waste and maximum reusable products. They follow a national circular economy strategy
that focuses on increasing primal material productivity, stopping the use of plastic production, and retrieving
resources from waste materials. The country’s main objective is to manufacture durable products by making use of
waste matter.

Timeline of Events

Date Description of Event

The definition of circular economy was primarily introduced by Pearce and Turner in the
1989
academic literature, emphasizing the necessity of shifting from a linear economy to a
circular model focused on waste management and sustainability.

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1996 Closed Substance Cycle and Waste Management presented by Germany.

Basic Law for Establishing a Recycling-Based Society by Japan for incorporation into
2002
politics.

Relevant UN Treaties and Events

2022 The Global Plastic Pollution Treaty (UNEP/EA.5/Res.14)

Aims to reduce plastic waste by adopting a circular economy and eradicating single-use plastics signed at
the United Nations Environment Program

Addressing Single-use Plastic Products Pollution(UNEP/EA.4/Res.9)

Promoting Sustainable Consumption and Production Patterns(A/Res/76/202)

Enhancing circular economy as a contribution to achieving sustainable consumption and

production(UNEP/EA.5/Res.11)

Innovative pathways to achieve sustainable consumption and production(UNEP/EA.4/Res.1)

​

Previous Attempts to Solve the Issue

The Circle House Project

The Circle House project in Denmark is an attempt to adopt pioneering work in the field of sustainable
architecture, namely, that should be able to express the ideas of the circular economy. This pioneering circular
construction demonstration project of 60 social housing units is located in the Lisbjerg Bakke district on the
outskirts of Aarhus, Denmark. It is an example of a highly sustainable and innovative building design, that was
developed through a collaboration between 3XN, GXN, Lendager Group, and Vandkunsten. The project started
with the aim of spreading the word of circularity in the construction sector and building a vision of having at least
90% of the materials reused without loss of value. This objective aligns with Denmark’s extensive sustainability
goals, which reflect the country’s goal to lead in environmentally friendly building practices.

The Circle House employs several other strategies to reach this level of material reusability which
guarantee that all elements of the building, and all their components, can be easily disassembled at the end of their
life cycle so that materials can be repurposed or recycled thus minimizing waste. In this process, a simplified
structural system is deliberately used, which consists of only a few standardized elements, namely, two different
sizes of wall elements and two different lengths of beams and deck elements. Not only does this standardization

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provide efficient construction but also gives the possibility for recycling to multiple projects.

Officially, construction of Circle House started in 2017 with the main focus of creating a flexible and
adaptable living environment. The project achieved that by treating waste as a resource, from the very first of
circular economy design’s basic principles, to create collaboration between more than 60 different Danish
enterprises in the construction industry. It is a collective endeavor allowing for the sharing of knowledge within the
chain of value and inspiring design for issues of sustainability. It has been developed with funding from the Danish
Environmental Protection Agency and the philanthropic organization Realdania.

Finally, the Circle House project is meant to meet immediate housing needs while the techniques will be
applied to develop sustainable buildings. Circle House also integrates the principles of circular economy into its
framework, showing that today’s architecture can be capable of environmental stewardship and producing good
living space for its residents at the same time.

China's Circular Economy Promotion Law 2009

In recent decades coupled with the mounting problem of environmental pollution and depletion of natural
resources, China has started using a concept of a circular economy to combat the existing environmental problems.
The name “circular economy” was formally coined in China in 2002 at the 16th National Congress of the Chinese
Communist Party and was legislated as a national mission in China. It is a major turning point in China’s economic
strategies, realizing that development options based on the previous linear consumption model cannot be
sustainable. This transition became urgent when China stood upon the front row of world leaders in producing,
shipping, and consuming resources, and producing industrial waste at a level far surpassing all the countries of the
OECD.

To overcome such challenges, China put forward various policies and legislation to encourage circular
economic practices. Most importantly, the original Law for the Promotion of the Circular Economy (2009) set out a
legal basis for resource efficiency and waste reduction and obliged new industrial policies to act circular economy.

In the following years, China’s commitment to circular economies was further solidified in its Five Year
Plans and specific goals and targets for sustainability in subsequent years. The 12th Five-Year Plan (2011-2015),
encouraged the recycling of heavy industrial resources and sought to increase the reusing of industrial waste
substantially. The 14th Five-Year Plan (2021-2025) then aims to commence implementing a fully optimized
circular production by 2025, based on ambitious resource utilization and green technology development targets in
addition to this. It includes initiatives like recycling promotion, remanufacturing promotion, and green product
design promotion alongside improvements to the national resource recycling system.

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Besides, China has also drawn from successful circular economy models from some other countries such
as Germany and Japan to design their strategies, keeping in mind the peculiar context. This also suggests that China
is maintaining its commitment to continuously incorporate the circular economy principles into its economy
through its elaborate economic framework so that the sustainability paradigm assumes a key position on its
economic pathway. Therefore China is not only addressing current environmental problems, but it is also setting
itself as a global leader of environmental solutions.

The European Union

The European Union has implemented numerous initiatives to develop circular economic systems for
sustainable manufacturing since the early years. The Waste Framework Directive became the first official initiative
launched in 2008 to reduce waste and improve recycling rates throughout member states. To do so, waste
management practices were adopted by the member states who then set ambitious targets of recycling and reduction
of landfills. We can consider the success of this initiative through the massive growth of recycling rates in the EU.
For example, in 2020, the EU’s average recycling of municipal waste was up to 65% compared with around 40% in
2008 (European Commission, 2020). However, full implementation in all member states was not smooth, and
further enforced rules were required.

In 2015, The European Commission introduced the Circular Economy Package to establish the largest
group of policies that focus on recycling rate upgrades alongside landfill reduction and sustainability across
consumption and production. The initiative included three major elements, such as recycling target adoption, food
waste reduction, and ecodesign promotion. The recycling expansion and diminished landfill waste disposal became
the principal markers of this initiative's success evaluation. The implementation of recycling practices in the last six
years reduced waste management greenhouse gas emissions by 10% according to Eurostat (2022). Nevertheless,
the level of implementation at the member states varied, and so did the ability to achieve its full potential, and it
lacked more robust enforcement mechanisms.

The European Union initiated the 2019 European Green Deal to further promote circular economies. The
objective of this initiative was stringent targets for climate neutrality in 2050 with mandates for improvement in
circularity, raising the recycling rate, and reducing waste, among others. The Green Deal emphasized attaining
sustainable patterns of consumption and production that would reduce the EU's environmental footprint. However,
this initiative’s effect is still being tested, but it has already attracted more investment in circular economy projects
and promoted business and consumer consciousness regarding the necessity of practicing sustainability. Indeed the
European Union has committed a significant amount through programs such as Horizon Europe to finance research
and innovation in circular economy technologies that will enable further progress in sustainable production
(European Commission, 2020).

In 2020, the European Union launched the Circular Economy Action Plan, which followed and helped to

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complete previous activities that aim to implement a more circular economy. Measures were also included within
this plan to make sustainable products the rule, as well as reduce waste and promote circular business models. This
plan is being put into practice, through actions including the development of new rules applicable all over the
European Union relating to packaging waste and the establishment of a European Union-wide Circular Economy
Stakeholder Platform to facilitate dialogue with stakeholders. Early on, the plan set off an influx of mutual
collaboration among EU member states and industries to grow more sustainable supply chains and screen designs
(European Commission, 2020).

Overall, the EU’s efforts in placing and developing circular economies are progressing well, especially in
increasing recycling rates and minimizing waste. But despite the progress of any kind of implementation of those,
challenges remain in achieving uniform implementation within all member states including solving the intricacies
of transition to the fully circular business models.

Possible Solutions

A key strategy to further implement and promote circular economies for sustainable production will be the
encouragement of industries to adopt shared logistics. To do so, collaboration between companies based on shared
logistics, that is, the optimization of transportation, storage, and distribution, involves resource efficiency and is
associated with a reduction of environmental impact. Businesses can reduce costs, such as logistics operation costs,
including transportation and warehousing costs, and greenhouse gas emissions by pooling resources and
infrastructure. For instance, sharing transportation fleets among different companies can be facilitated by logistics
providers to have more efficient routing and fewer empty miles. additionally, it benefits companies by helping them
achieve circular economy principles of maximizing the use of existing assets, minimizing waste, and reducing
operational costs.

Moreover, shared logistics also improves the management of reverse logistics processes, which are key for
circular economies. Efficient reverse logistics enable companies to recover their products at the end of the life cycle
for reuse, recycling, or resale. Likewise, for businesses to re-enter the production cycle effectively, they need to
implement shared systems for returns management so that used materials are collected and processed efficiently.
One example of this could be to use technology to automate the sorting and grading of returned items, recycling as
much of its value as possible and minimizing waste.
It is important given that industries are increasingly encumbered by regulations for extended producer
responsibility (EPR) where manufacturers are responsible for the entire lifetime of their products.

Likewise, the practice of adopting shared logistics supports the formation of a supply-chain collaboration
culture which enables firms to innovate together in finding sustainable practices. While organizations tackle

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common challenges against waste management and resource recovery, they can share insights and best practices
amongst themselves in the quest for circular economy initiative further advancement. With collective expertise and
resources, the industries are capable of forming more resilient supply chains that can be better able to adjust to the
changing market demands and regulatory landscapes.

Furthermore, promoting circular economies based on shared logistics for sustainable production is a
powerful solution to encourage industries to share logistics. Reduction in costs of shared logistics stems from the
advantageous use of resources as well as from reinforcement of reverse-logistics capabilities and also an
improvement in sharing resources among businesses which contribute to environmental sustainability. Given that,
with companies continuously becoming aware of the benefits of this approach, it will be an essential factor in
shaping the way sustainable production will look in the future in the framework of a circular economy.

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