Fraunhofer Cluster of Excellence Circular Plastics Economy CCPEThe current state of the global circular economy
The new Circularity Gap Report 2025 presents a sobering picture: only 6.9% of all materials entering the global economy come from secondary sources – a decline from the previous year (7.2%). At the same time, global material consumption has surpassed 100 billion tonnes annually for the first time.
The report provides a detailed analysis of material flows, showing how resources enter, circulate, or exit the global economy as waste or emissions. The findings underline the need for deep structural changes, particularly in product design, resource management, energy systems, and land use.
The authors call for clear political frameworks, stronger incentives for circular business models, and an expanded set of indicators to measure circularity effectively. At Fraunhofer CCPE, these insights reinforce the importance of applied research in developing practical, industry-oriented solutions that enable a truly circular economy.
Available online at: https://www.circularity-gap.world
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Source: Circle Economy & Deloitte (2025). The Circularity Gap Report 2025.