Doing research on #CircularEconomy in cities and regions? Consider submitting your abstract to this special session at the upcoming Regional Studies Association conference in Florence, IT.
SS60. Critically Exploring the Potential of the Circular Economy, by Exposing its Limitations and Biases
In recent times, the circular economy (CE) has emerged as a beacon of sustainability and innovation, promoting an economic system aimed at eliminating waste and the continual use of resources. It stands as a response to the increasing concerns about resource depletion, environmental degradation, and economic sustainability. However, as with any transformative concept, it is imperative to approach the CE with a critical perspective. Illustrative of this need is that by now following the vast amount of definitions (Geissdoerfer et al., 2017; Kirchherr et al., 2017; Korhonen, Honkasalo, et al., 2018; Reike et al., 2018; Schröder et al., 2020), it is easier to say what the CE is not than to say what it is (Kovacic et al., 2020).
This session intends to delve into the complexities and nuances of the CE, in space and time, to challenge the ‘false’ consensus that often prevents discussion, to unearth the less discussed aspects of this paradigm. The session aims to continue the increasingly lively critical debate on the (non-)use of the CE concept, going beyond the surface-level benefits and exploring the potential challenges, limitations, and unintended consequences that accompany the concept.
We invite authors to present their work from various angles, whether it be:
– theoretical frameworks that question the foundational principles of the CE,
– methodological innovations that offer new ways to analyze and implement circular systems (of systems), or
– empirical research shedding light on real-world applications and their outcomes.
– In particular, it invites authors that showcase the important trade-offs that become exposed in the CE, and the need for (difficult) choices that need to be made.
As such, we can better understand the true potential of the concept of the CE, by explicitly stressing its limitations.
Session Organisers:
Karel Van den Berghe, Delft University of Technology, The Netherlands
Marcin Dabrowski, Delft University of Technology, The Netherlands
Emil Evenhuis, PBL Netherlands Environmental Assessment Agency, The Netherlands
More info here: https://www.regionalstudies.org/news/2024annual-special-sessions/
Submission page: https://lounge.regionalstudies.org/Meetings/Meeting?ID=485
Marcin Dąbrowski 