The European Commission claims that improved approaches to resources will increase the EU's GDP by an additional 0.5% by 2030. Policy assessments also suggest that the circular transition will generate around 700,000 additional jobs by 2030 compared to an estimated 4 million circular jobs in 2018.

An EEA briefing ‘Just transition to a circular economy’, found that between 2014 and 2023, the number of jobs linked to the circular economy in the EU-27 grew by 10% to around 4.4 million

Alongside resource efficiency, the EU must make better use of its natural resources by improving approaches to restoration and protection.

According to the Taskforce on Nature-related Financial Disclosure (TNFD), between 19% and 36% of the EU’s gross value added (GVA) is highly dependent on nature, with over 70% of organisations relying on at least one ecosystem service.

A Joint Research Centre (JRC) report has also found that around 75% of bank loans in the euro area are linked to companies with a high dependence on nature, while more than 80% of regional habitats are rated “poor”. As such, there is a significant financial and industrial risk in the bloc if it cannot improve its approach to nature.

Read on to explore existing policy frameworks and how they will change how businesses interact with resources and nature.