A space to keep abreast of the latest news and developments in climate change and energy transition

Promoting waste recovery, both for energy generation and for the reuse of solid resources, is a key strategy for favoring change towards a more sustainable and conscious energy model.Our consumption patterns generate tons of waste every day which, if not adequately managed by means of recycling treatments, end up accumulating in landfills with consequences that are not only harmful to the environment, but also to public health. Learning how to make better use of waste and efficiently use the resources we have is now more than ever an imperative need to be addressed if we want to ensure the future of the planet and its ecosystem. In our country alone, the Spanish economy generated 105.6 million tons of waste in 2020, of which only 54.7% were destined for recycling, according to the latest data published by the INE (National Statistics Institute). In order to address this challenge we must begin to apply, from now on, new production and consumption systems based on the circular economy and on sustainable development. Not only to reduce the generation and amount of this waste, but also taking into account all the advantages that proper management thereof can contribute to such a relevant objective at present, such as advancing the energy transition.   Waste management The main objective is to evolve towards a zero waste model, a consumption system based on efficiency and optimization, which aims to lengthen the useful life of resources as much as possible. In this way, not only would the amount of new raw materials to be consumed by the users be reduced, but also the waste generated by increasing its period of use.  To implement this new paradigm in the economic and social environment, the circular economy is our greatest ally. It is a form of production and consumption based on the reuse and recycling of existing products, taking into account factors such as their design, environmental impact, and life cycle. This system is based on the implementation of a series of action principles known as "R".  These principles have been evolving and expanding over the years to meet current needs in this sphere. For example, in the 1970s reference was made to just 3Rs (reduce, reuse, and recycle) and it was not until 2017 when Jacqueline Cramer extended the range to 10Rs. Subsequently, Ellen MacArthur replaced one of the "Rs" for Rethinking, until giving rise to the 9R scheme we currently follow and which serves to ensure that the use that will be given to a product is the most effective possible. It should be noted that, although we currently refer to 9Rs, the truth is that technically they continue to be 10Rs, since one of the principles has been renamed as R0 and is not counted. With this particularity, the current lines of action are as follows: