9 out of 10 ONS 2024 Conference Attendees are Ready to Transition to a Circular Economy. The importance of access to critical raw materials is the biggest change in this year’s survey compared with two years ago, with almost triple interest.
The top three issues however stay the same as in 2022: political instability (53%), climate change (47%), and energy security (36%).
The ONS Foundation, RENAS and Circular Norway conducted a survey from August 3 – 23, 2024, among ONS conference attendees to uncover their familiarity with the circular economy, its role in resource efficiency, and its contribution to the transition towards a renewable society as a tool to reach the 1.5-degree target.
Nine in ten (89%) say they either strongly (61%) or somewhat (28%) support transitioning to a Circular Economy globally.
About as many (88%) say transitioning to a Circular Economy should be either a top priority (61%) or the top priority (27%) for the energy industry.
We are pleased that the support from the energy sector for the transition toward a circular economy is so universal.
Call for faster transition
A solid majority (58%) say the pace of change expected of the oil and gas industry to transition to a Circular Economy in five years is appropriate and may need to be sped up. Three in ten (29%) say that the pace is not practical or safe, while 13% say they don’t have an opinion.
Most respondents (55%) emphasize the need for clear criteria to ensure a smooth transition, protecting consumers and maintaining energy reliability.
Jon Are Rørtveit, vice-president of ONS, highlights the shared responsibility to succeed in this transition:
While there is consensus for an urgent transition, the survey also reveals that the greatest challenge lies in the lack of government intervention, either in setting regulations or providing incentives.
The ONS conference is crucial for bringing global leaders together to find solutions for a safe transition to a Circular Economy. As survey respondents suggest, we need stronger action from governments, investors, and business leader.
Urge for a circular approach to energy
He highlights the huge potential in increasing circularity in renewable energy.
We need to assess and evaluate the linear risk and develop circular value chains and business models.
Key Findings:
Top Global Issues: Political instability (53%), climate change (47%), and energy security (36%) remain the top global concerns. Concern about access to critical raw materials has risen from 5% in 2022 to 13% in 2024. Sustainable development is now a top issue for 30% of respondents.
Support for Circular Economy: 89% support transitioning to a Circular Economy, with 88% believing it should be a top priority for the energy sector.
Pace of Transition: 58% say the pace of change in the oil and gas industry towards a Circular Economy is appropriate but may need to speed up. Concern about the pace being impractical or unsafe has doubled from 13% in 2022 to 29% in 2024.
Influence of Stakeholders: Government and industry regulators (64%), investors (35%), and global energy leaders (32%) are seen as the most influential in driving the Circular Economy transition. Politicians (29%) and customers (25%) are also highlighted in 2024.
Personal Commitment: 91% regularly sort household waste for recycling, 82% use online tools like Zoom instead of traveling, and 67% use fabric/paper bags instead of plastic.
Environmental Priorities: 55% prioritize reusing and maximizing existing resources, 49% focus on managing climate change, 48% on ensuring clean water, and 47% on protecting biodiversity.
Notable Insight: While 67% use fabric/paper bags in 2024, only 14% in 2022 thought this would significantly improve the environment.
We invite you to visit RENAS and CIRCULAR NORWAY at booth 9140 in Hall 9, where you can gain deeper insights into our survey findings and do interviews. Our team will be available to provide detailed information and answer any questions you may have.
The ONS Foundation, RENAS and Circular Norway conducted a survey from August 3 – 23, 2024, among ONS conference attendees. The main objective was to understand how conference attendees/opinion leaders view issues related to the energy industry transitioning to the Circular Economy. The overall margin of error is 7 percentage points at the 95% confidence interval.
Comparisons are made in this report to a similar survey with participants of the ONS 2022 conference. Question wording sometimes varies between years and is shown where applicable.
Closing the circularity gap - the trillion dollar opportunity. Ellen Høvik, Circular Norway, moderates this event which includes a panel of distinguished guests including Danat Tekie (Deloitte), Bjørn Kjærand Haugland (Skift), Thina Margrethe Saltvedt (Nordea), Bjørn Arild Thon (RENAS) and Alexander Christiansen (Circular Norway).
Time: Monday August 26 from 21:00 - 22:00
Place: The Energy Square
Gjenbruk eller kast? Verdien av å tenke sirkulært! Bli inspirert til å tenke nytt om ressursbruk og oppdag måter du selv kan være med på å gjøre en forskjell i denne sesjonen moderert av Anne Aspelund Pedersen. Rebekka Løken Kvalsund, Project Manager i Circular Norway deltar i panelet sammen med Mari Larsen Sæther fra Tomra og Rebecca Sjølie fra ReLi.
Tid: Tirsdag 27 August 11:00 - 12:00
Sted: ONS Young, Hall 10, stage 2 - The Jungle
Can democracy save the climate? Trygve Svensson from Tankesmien Agenda moderates this session with Bjørn Arild Thon, CEO of RENAS, Tuva Bræin of OUS and Tarjei Skirbekk from Equinor.
Time: Thursday 29 August at 10:00 - 10:30
Place: Hall 9, Centre Court
Contact one of our employees from the "get in touch"- section, or let us contact you by dropping your name and details in the form. We would love to hear from you!