Accelerating the circular economy: a City Scan benchmark for the Hunter and Central Coast

A window of opportunity exists for the Hunter and Central Coast region to establish national leadership and develop a vibrant, regional circular economy through strategic decisions grounded in a sound evidence base. Accelerating development of the region’s circular economy can accelerate progress towards reaching the New South Wales government’s target of net zero carbon emissions by 2050. Local environmental concerns can be addressed and economic development boosted through the efficient design, use, reuse and recovery of steel, food, concrete, plastic and other materials. Ambitious scenarios for accelerating the circular economy assessed in modelling of other countries and regions point to a rise in employment and contributions to gross domestic product of up to 3 to 4 per cent in coming decades above a business as usual scenario. Greenhouse gas emissions could decline by up to 76 per cent. To achieve such benefits, local governments need to choose the right path for operations, procurement, waste management, business attraction, asset management, planning and development approvals. To do this, they need data on how much of a range of different materials is involved in the goods and services provided by the region’s industry sectors, where these materials end up, and the level of greenhouse gas emissions that these processes generate. August 2021 prepared for Lake Macquarie City Council, City of Newcastle, Hunter Joint Org., Central Coast Council & Go Circular.