RETHINKING, EXTENDING, REUSING: HARNESSING DIGITAL TECHNOLOGIES FOR THE CIRCULAR ECONOMY: A critical path on technologies, challenges and urgently needed enabling solutions
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The recommendations outlined in the forthcoming ‘Critical Path for Harnessing Digital Technologies for a Circular Economy’ will provide the basis for a new One Planet Network initiative, guiding concrete interventions and formation of communities of practice to effectively support the public and private sector in its successful implementation.
The Critical Path also identifies key challenges and barriers in harnessing digital technologies to unleash the full potential of the circular economy. It takes a circular economy and value chain approach, addressing the smart use of products and their manufacturing, lifespan extension of products and their parts, and the effective use of materials, throughout the value chain through identified key digital pathways and functions (such as artificial intelligence, blockchain, internet of things, additive manufacturing and big data for data collection) – from policy and investments, raw material use and production, to the dissemination and consumption stages.
