African Mining October 2019 | Page 64

 INSIGHT CIRCULARITY AS A VIABLE PIVOT Globally, economies are moving to a more sustainable model, writes Dr Gargi Mishra. C ountries around the world are increasingly shifting from the linear extractive, consumption-based economic model that characterised the last century, to a new paradigm focused on sustainability through restorative and regenerative business practices. But it's about more than simple recycling. The focus today is increasingly on gradually decoupling economies from their reliance on finite resources, and shifting to a more sustainable model whereby resources are recycled and reused. As the global economy grapples with the realities of resource depletion, rising price pressure, shifts in downstream demand and the need to align with environmental, societal and governance (ESG) principles to attract investment, a growing number 62  African Mining  October 2019 www. africanmining.co.za