The time for transformational change is now. Current environmental efforts are centred around decarbonisation. Although undeniably worthwhile, this does little to tackle Northern Ireland’s high levels of consumption. The resounding message is clear: for Northern Ireland to become serious about sustainability and meet its net-zero and ecological goals, the country will need to overhaul how it extracts, processes, consumes and disposes of materials. With a policy docket that has increasingly aligned with sustainability agendas over recent years—and political leaders more inclined to feature circularity high on the menu of options for emissions abatement—the country is well-poised to do so. Ultimately, Northern Ireland’s vision of the circular economy centres on sustainable development: a means for prosperous lives within the ecological limits of our planet, with the workforce an essential lever for achieving this goal.

NI Waste Management Statistics – Quarterly Provisional Estimates fro Oct – Dec 2021

WRAP Report on Eliminating Problem Plastics – Feb 2022

NIRN Members Environment, Social and Economic Impact 2021