The results of the survey conducted by the National Consortium of Used Oils on visitors to the event have been published
The circular economy is indispensable for eight out of ten visitors to the 26th edition of Ecomondo. And almost nine out of ten correctly associate the concept of Circular Economy with waste recycling and recovery. This is what emerges from the survey conducted by CONOU – National Consortium of Used Mineral Oils during the days of Ecomondo, the large international green and circular economy fair which closed last Friday in Rimini.
The survey was aimed at detecting visitors’ knowledge and perception of the circular economy. From the responses we can see how compared to the same analysis carried out in the 2022 edition, the participation of women (from 35% to 43%) and adults (over 73% are >24 years old) has grown, which should be taken as a a sign of a conscious approach on the part of responsible citizens to the fair and the issues it represents. Added to this is the fact that the percentage of those who believe that the circular economy has an indispensable role in tackling the economic crisis is increasing (from 74% to 79%), while the traditional concept of the circular economy understood only as savings is also receding ( from 18% to 12%) ahead of that of recycling and recovery, confirming, here too, greater awareness.
The percentage of interviewees who attribute to governments the responsibility of having to take care of environmental emergencies remains fairly stable (55% vs. 54% in 2022), as does that of those who are convinced that the fight against the climate emergency is mainly up to industries and to businesses (35% vs 33% in 2022); However, the percentage of those who attribute the task to citizens and non-profit organizations decreases by 3 points, going from 12% to 9%. In short, it is clear that concerted action by decision makers and the productive world is expected.
Furthermore, 63% of the sample believes that investing in circular economy projects is the main path to building a sustainable production model, increasing on the value of 56% in 2022, confirming how the circular economy is seen as urgently unavoidable, while still few (21%) see the full use of the funds allocated at European level as an opportunity to be seized.
It is surprising to see that almost half of the sample, with breadth of vision, attributes the responsibility for food inflation to climate change, while 34% see a clear correlation with human health, i.e. the growth of chronic diseases, allergies and intolerances. Lastly, almost 20% of the sample is aware that the problem of migratory flows can also find an explanation in the climatic alterations that the areas of origin have undergone, with particular reference to the migratory phenomena from Africa to Europe
“The circular economy is the key to sustainable development and as a Consortium we are proud to represent a complete model of circularity, thanks to our virtuous supply chain capable of collecting substantially all the collectible used mineral oil and regenerating over 98% of it .” commented Riccardo Piunti, President of Conou. “It is particularly pleasing to see how a growing clarity of vision emerges from the survey we conducted during Ecomondo and how young people are also attentive to the issues of sustainability and the circular economy, as well as clearly aware of how the climate crisis has direct consequences on their lives, already today. For this reason we believe it is important to continue to inform and raise awareness, doing our part, also with initiatives and projects dedicated to young people, who this year too we directly involved during the event”.
Source-www.adnkronos.com