Conserving the earth’s resources for future generations is a fundamental prerequisite for sustainable development. We will only be able to do so if key players in all areas of our society join forces and work together. We have joined the Prevent Waste Alliance to make a major contribution to preventing waste and conserving resources.
Our natural resources are becoming ever more scarce. At the same time, they are in high demand to meet the needs of an ever more densely populated and heavily urbanised planet facing the consequences of climate change. The world needs to rethink the way it handles its natural resources and come up with new social and economic models that are more efficient, better balanced, and more sustainable.
Veolia has over 160 years of experience in the waste, energy and water sectors. Over those 160 years, Veolia has developed formidable innovative capabilities – capabilities we use to serve progress and the common good, as well as to improve the performance of companies and regions. Veolia is implementing the solutions we need to move from a culture of resource consumption to one of re-use, recovery and the circular economy – solutions that improve access to resources at the same time as conserving and renewing them.
Veolia manages water, energy and materials cycles for local authorities, industry and commercial companies in accordance with its mission – ‘Resources for the world’. The circular economy is at the very heart of our business model. Our resources solutions provide answers to complex questions, including how to generate energy from waste water and biodegradable waste; how create a circular economy for PET bottles, paper or lighting; how to recycle wind turbines; how to run local district heating systems on renewable energy or how to use high-calorie replacement fuels from sorted waste to compensate for reduced used of fossil fuels.
Making the transition from a linear economic model to a circular value chain that retains raw materials, value and nutrients requires broad-based cooperation between all the key players in our society, including manufactures, retailers, consumers, the political system and civil society, as well as the waste management and utilities industries. It is through this cooperation that we can trigger the innovations that will allow us to establish a circular economy.