This report is the first of its kind using hybrid methodologies to assess the circularity of a country. The value of its outcomes therefore go beyond providing an action agenda for Austria alone. In the transition to a circular economy, Nation States have a pivotal role to play. They possess the power to set comprehensive national policies and support mechanisms, but also to drive global action on this topic through multilateral international fora. Recent success stories against climate change have seen individual states collaborating for international progress through bodies such as the United Nations.
The circular economy takes nature as its mentor. It provides us with a practical action map towards reaching the SDG's and the climate mitigation goals we have set for ourselves in our aim to create a prosperous world within our planetary boundaries. Momentum is building, and it’s time for the circular economy to go mainstream. Therefore, to kick-start it's implementation we need a uniform and framework for circularity that informs national strategy and policy development, and enables us to monitor progress. Circle Economy's Circularity Gap Reports aim to strengthen the global action agenda and accelerate the practical and scalable implementation of a circular economy.