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Combining industrial ecology tools to assess potential greenhouse gas reductions of a circular economy: Method development and application to Switzerland

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  • Maja Wiprächtiger
  • Melanie Haupt
  • Andreas Froemelt
  • Magdalena Klotz
  • Claudio Beretta
  • Dominik Osterwalder
  • Vanessa Burg
  • Stefanie Hellweg

Abstract

Industrial ecology (IE) methodologies, such as input/output or material flow analysis and life cycle assessment (LCA), are often used for the environmental evaluation of circular economy strategies. Up to now, an approach that utilizes these methods in a systematic, integrated framework for a holistic assessment of a geographic region's sustainable circular economy potential has been lacking. The approach developed in this study (IE4CE approach) combines IE methodologies to determine the environmental impact mitigation potential of circular economy strategies for a defined geographic region. The approach foresees five steps. First, input/output analysis helps identify sectors with high environmental impacts. Second, a refined analysis is conducted using material flow and LCA. In step 3, circular strategies are used for scenario design and evaluated in step 4. In step 5, the assessment results are compiled and compared across sectors. The approach was applied to a case study of Switzerland, analyzing 8 sectors and more than 30 scenarios in depth. Carbon capture and storage (CCS) from waste incineration, biogas and cement production, food waste prevention in households, hospitality and production, and the increased recycling of plastics had the highest mitigation potential. Most of the scenarios do not influence each other. One exception is the CCS scenarios: waste avoidance scenarios decrease the reduction potential of CCS. A combination of scenarios from different sectors, including their impact on the CCS scenario potential, led to an environmental impact mitigation potential of 11.9 Mt CO2‐eq for 2050, which equals 14% of Switzerland's current consumption‐based impacts.

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  • Maja Wiprächtiger & Melanie Haupt & Andreas Froemelt & Magdalena Klotz & Claudio Beretta & Dominik Osterwalder & Vanessa Burg & Stefanie Hellweg, 2023. "Combining industrial ecology tools to assess potential greenhouse gas reductions of a circular economy: Method development and application to Switzerland," Journal of Industrial Ecology, Yale University, vol. 27(1), pages 254-271, February.
    • Handle: RePEc:bla:inecol:v:27:y:2023:i:1:p:254-271
    DOI: 10.1111/jiec.13364
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Maja Wiprächtiger & Martina Rapp & Stefanie Hellweg & Rhythima Shinde & Melanie Haupt, 2022. "Turning trash into treasure: An approach to the environmental assessment of waste prevention and its application to clothing and furniture in Switzerland," Journal of Industrial Ecology, Yale University, vol. 26(4), pages 1389-1405, August.
    2. Nancy M. P. Bocken & Elsa A. Olivetti & Jonathan M. Cullen & José Potting & Reid Lifset, 2017. "Taking the Circularity to the Next Level: A Special Issue on the Circular Economy," Journal of Industrial Ecology, Yale University, vol. 21(3), pages 476-482, June.
    3. Florian Lüdeke‐Freund & Stefan Gold & Nancy M. P. Bocken, 2019. "A Review and Typology of Circular Economy Business Model Patterns," Journal of Industrial Ecology, Yale University, vol. 23(1), pages 36-61, February.
    4. John R. Ehrenfeld, 2004. "Can Industrial Ecology be the “Science of Sustainability”?," Journal of Industrial Ecology, Yale University, vol. 8(1‐2), pages 1-3, January.
    5. United Nations, 2016. "The Sustainable Development Goals 2016," Working Papers id:11456, eSocialSciences.
    6. Kirchherr, Julian & Reike, Denise & Hekkert, Marko, 2017. "Conceptualizing the circular economy: An analysis of 114 definitions," Resources, Conservation & Recycling, Elsevier, vol. 127(C), pages 221-232.
    7. Willi Haas & Fridolin Krausmann & Dominik Wiedenhofer & Markus Heinz, 2015. "How Circular is the Global Economy?: An Assessment of Material Flows, Waste Production, and Recycling in the European Union and the World in 2005," Journal of Industrial Ecology, Yale University, vol. 19(5), pages 765-777, October.
    8. Thomas Wiedmann, 2009. "Editorial: Carbon Footprint And Input-Output Analysis - An Introduction," Economic Systems Research, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 21(3), pages 175-186.
    9. Melanie Haupt & Carl Vadenbo & Stefanie Hellweg, 2017. "Do We Have the Right Performance Indicators for the Circular Economy?: Insight into the Swiss Waste Management System," Journal of Industrial Ecology, Yale University, vol. 21(3), pages 615-627, June.
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    Cited by:

    1. Paraschiv Liana, 2024. "From Constitutional Mandate to Holistic Sustainability: Insights from Switzerland’s Strategic Approach," Proceedings of the International Conference on Business Excellence, Sciendo, vol. 18(1), pages 913-925.

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