국제사회의 순환경제 확산과 한국의 과제(Accelerating Transition towards a Circular Economy and Policy Implications for Korea)

국제사회는 제품의 전 주기에 걸쳐 자원을 효율적으로 이용하고, 지속가능성을 추구하는 순환경제에 주목하고 있습니다. 제품 초기 단계에서부터 적극적으로 재사용 및 회수를 고려하는 순환경제는 파리기후협정 및 지속가능발전목표(SDGs)와도 밀접하게 관련되어 있습니다. The international community has been striving to achieve sustainable growth while efficiently using limited natural resources. In particular, major economies, including the EU, have recently pledged to achieve carbon neutrality or net zero emissions one after another, and the ‘transition to a circular economy’ is being emphasized as one of the important policy measures to achieve this long-term goal. As the use of disposable items such as masks has increased due to the spread of COVID-19, concerns about how to deal with the increased waste are also growing. In this context, this study aims to analyze global efforts to promote the circular economy, main issues in waste management, cases of response in international cooperation, and review an empirical analysis of the effectiveness of certification system on the circular economy. Based on these results, it aims to provide policy implications for Korea. Chapter 2 examines the concept and importance of the circular economy, also analyzing the efforts of major countries and multilateral organizations to promote the transition to the circular economy. In this study, the circular economy is summarized as an economic system based on basic principles including minimum resource and energy input, maximum reduction of waste emission, and long-term use of products as much as possible. As the circular economy is expected to have a positive impact on the environment, economy and society as a whole, stronger efforts are being made by the international community to pursue it. The EU mandates producers to factor in circular economy principles from the product design stage and encourages consumers to purchase products with high resource efficiency. Japan has made efforts to lead global discussions on issues of its own interest, such as the 3R(Reduce, Reuse, Recycle) initiative. In the case of the UK, the private sector is taking a prominent role, and Korea has been announcing circular economy-related laws, policies, and implementation plans since 2020. At the multilateral level, the G7 and G20 suggest the policy direction of resource management policies for member countries and recommend that their progress be monitored.(the rest omitted)