Since the new century, in order to deal with the increasingly serious environmental pollution problems and climate change crisis, countries around the world have set off a wave of developing circular economy and low-carbon economy. In China, the development of low-carbon economy is still under exploration. Correctly grasping the similarities and differences and relations between low-carbon economy and circular economy is conducive to promoting their coordinated development.
Difference between low carbon economy and circular economy: correctly grasp the similarities and differences between low carbon economy and circular economy
There are differences between low-carbon economy and circular economy in the background, focus and positioning. In the background, the development of low-carbon economy is mainly to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and protect the global climate, and the development of circular economy is mainly to effectively deal with the global resources and environmental problems caused by the rapid economic development. In terms of focus, the core of developing a low-carbon economy is to increase the proportion of renewable energy and reduce greenhouse gas emissions, emphasizing that "the earth is our only home, and protecting the global environment is the common responsibility of mankind", The statistical index is carbon productivity (GDP produced by 1 ton of carbon dioxide emissions); the core of developing circular economy is the recycling and efficient utilization of resources.
The concept is to make the best use of everything, turn waste into treasure, and turn harm into profit, with the purpose of improving the utilization efficiency and efficiency of resources. The statistical indicator is resource productivity. In terms of positioning, developing low-carbon economy is committed to improving energy efficiency and developing and utilizing clean energy; developing circular economy is committed to reducing resource consumption and waste generation (reduction), waste reuse (reuse) and direct utilization or recycling of waste as raw materials.
Low carbon economy and circular economy have common ground in the fundamental goals, development requirements and basic security. From the fundamental goal, both are to promote the transformation of economic development mode. Low carbon economy mainly depends on reducing the consumption of fossil energy such as coal and oil, reducing the emission of carbon dioxide, and promoting the formation of a low-carbon economic structure to achieve this goal; circular economy mainly relies on the reduction, recycling and reuse of resources to reduce the cost of environmental end treatment to achieve this goal. In terms of development requirements, both of them should run through the whole process of economic development.
To develop a low-carbon economy, it is required to consume less carbon energy in the production process, use more clean alternative energy to maintain the energy supply of production, and form a low-carbon economic structure; in the consumption link, reduce the direct or indirect fossil energy consumption, replace it with solar energy, wind energy, water and other clean energy, form a low-carbon consumption mode, and then achieve the low-carbon goal of the whole process 。 The development of circular economy requires the reduction of resources in the production process and the reuse of waste formed in the production process; the recovery and reuse of product waste in the consumption link, so as to achieve the goal of low consumption and low emission in the whole process.
In terms of basic guarantee, both of them are supported by technological innovation and guaranteed by institutional innovation. Technological progress and major breakthroughs are a powerful driving force for the two kinds of economic development. At the same time, the promotion and application of the two economic development models are related to the system and mechanism problems in the field of production and consumption, and both need to promote the system and mechanism innovation in relevant fields.
Promote the coordinated development of low-carbon economy and circular economy. Low carbon economy and circular economy are the same in the same way, and have the same goal by different routes. Both of them have the same fundamental purpose. They are to promote the transformation of the economic development mode of high input, high consumption, high emission and low efficiency to the mode of economic development with low input, low consumption, low emission and high efficiency through the formulation and innovation of systems and policies and the progress of science and technology.
Circular economy and low-carbon economy are both resource-saving and environment-friendly economy, which can be included in the category of "two oriented" social construction; they are interrelated and promote each other, reflecting the connotation and requirements of people-oriented, comprehensive, coordinated and sustainable scientific development concept. In practice, we should attach equal importance to the development of low-carbon economy and circular economy, and promote the coordinated development of the two, so as to lay a solid foundation for accelerating the transformation of economic development mode and promoting the development of economic and social sciences.
