The EU plays a pivotal role in promoting a cyclical economy which is of paramount importance to efforts for better protect the environment and world’s natural resources, says Hara Mavronicola, environmental officer at the Environment Service of the Agriculture Ministry.
The world economy in linear: companies export resources, converting them into consumer products which at some point will end up in the rubbish tip. This only exhausts the earth’s natural resources and wastes valuable material.
The new trend is for a cyclical economy where waste is reused, increasing the life span of the product or service. This brings changes from the first steps to create a product, from to its design and to way it is produced.
The benefits to society and the environment from a cyclical economy are multiple and of great importance, says Mavronicolas. They include new jobs, new business opportunities and saving resources.
The EU plays an important role in this effort. Through EU financial tools and mechanisms it contributes to research and innovations with products such as Life and Horizon 2020, which also co-finance projects in Cyprus.
As Mavronicola points out, through its programmes and actions for a cyclical economy, the EU shows us the way towards a more sustainable, more efficient and more ecological approach.
