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What Is in a Name? The Rising Star of the Circular Economy as a Resource-Related Concept for Sustainable Development

Author

Listed:
  • Andrea Cecchin

    (North Dakota State University
    University of North Dakota)

  • Roberta Salomone

    (University of Messina)

  • Pauline Deutz

    (University of Hull)

  • Andrea Raggi

    (University “G. d’Annunzio” of Chieti-Pescara)

  • Laura Cutaia

    (Italian National Agency for New Technologies, Energy and Sustainable Economic Development (ENEA))

Abstract

The most popular definition of sustainable development, which can be found in the Brundtland Report, sets an ideal goal but do not provide a clear direction for the implementation of sustainable solutions. Other related concepts and approaches have emerged as means to progress towards sustainability in a more pragmatic way, such as the circular economy. The circular economy has risen to prominence at a rate and on a scale to rival the idea of sustainable development itself. This is despite the fact that there is relatively little about the circular economy that is entirely original—it draws heavily on precursor concepts such as industrial ecology and industrial symbiosis. These ideas have received renewed impetus even whilst being eclipsed in both academic and policies debates. In order to address this paradox and help establish the identity and contribution of these fields, this article presents the concepts of circular economy, industrial symbiosis and sustainable development, summarizing their complex and often intertwined evolutionary paths, focusing on relevant developments and implementation challenges. In addition, the authors point out the divergences and interrelations of these concepts and link them to other adjacent concepts and research fields, such as ecological modernisation and the green economy. Additionally, the potential contribution of industrial symbiosis and the circular economy to sustainable development and to the Sustainable Development Goals set in the United Nations Agenda 2030 is briefly discussed.

Suggested Citation

  • Andrea Cecchin & Roberta Salomone & Pauline Deutz & Andrea Raggi & Laura Cutaia, 2021. "What Is in a Name? The Rising Star of the Circular Economy as a Resource-Related Concept for Sustainable Development," Circular Economy and Sustainability, Springer, vol. 1(1), pages 83-97, June.
    • Handle: RePEc:spr:circec:v:1:y:2021:i:1:d:10.1007_s43615-021-00021-4
    DOI: 10.1007/s43615-021-00021-4
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    1. Katelin Opferkuch & Anna M. Walker & Erik Roos Lindgreen & Sandra Caeiro & Roberta Salomone & Tomás B. Ramos, 2023. "Towards a framework for corporate disclosure of circular economy: Company perspectives and recommendations," Corporate Social Responsibility and Environmental Management, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 30(5), pages 2457-2474, September.
    2. Kirsten S. Wiebe & Vibeke S. Norstebø & Fabian R. Aponte & Moana S. Simas & Tina Andersen & Gerardo A. Perez-Valdes, 2023. "Circular Economy and the triple bottom line in Norway," Circular Economy and Sustainability, Springer, vol. 3(1), pages 1-33, March.
    3. Seeram Ramakrishna & Wayne Hu & Rajan Jose, 2023. "Sustainability in Numbers by Data Analytics," Circular Economy and Sustainability, Springer, vol. 3(2), pages 643-655, June.
    4. Natacha Klein & Tomás B. Ramos & Pauline Deutz, 2022. "Factors and strategies for circularity implementation in the public sector: An organisational change management approach for sustainability," Corporate Social Responsibility and Environmental Management, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 29(3), pages 509-523, May.
    5. Anna M. Walker & Katelin Opferkuch & Erik Roos Lindgreen & Andrea Raggi & Alberto Simboli & Walter J.V. Vermeulen & Sandra Caeiro & Roberta Salomone, 2022. "What Is the Relation between Circular Economy and Sustainability? Answers from Frontrunner Companies Engaged with Circular Economy Practices," Circular Economy and Sustainability, Springer, vol. 2(2), pages 731-758, June.
    6. Hans Eickhoff, 2024. "The appeal of the circular economy revisited: on track for transformative change or enabler of moral licensing?," Palgrave Communications, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 11(1), pages 1-8, December.
    7. Taghipour, Amirhossein & Akkalatham, Wareerath & Eaknarajindawat, Natnaporn & Stefanakis, Alexandros I., 2022. "The impact of government policies and steel recycling companies' performance on sustainable management in a circular economy," Resources Policy, Elsevier, vol. 77(C).
    8. Xiuge Tan, 2024. "RETRACTED ARTICLE: Bridging fiscal decentralization and circular economy for sustainable energy transition: an examination of BRICS economies in highly decentralized settings," Economic Change and Restructuring, Springer, vol. 57(3), pages 1-23, June.
    9. Mainar-Toledo, M.D. & Castan, M.A. & Millán, G. & Rodin, V. & Kollmann, A. & Peccianti, F. & Annunziata, E. & Rizzi, F. & Frey, M. & Iannone, F. & Zaldua, M. & Kuittinen, H., 2022. "Accelerating sustainable and economic development via industrial energy cooperation and shared services – A case study for three European countries," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 153(C).
    10. Carlo Ingrao & Claudia Arcidiacono & Valentina Siracusa & Monia Niero & Marzia Traverso, 2021. "Life Cycle Sustainability Analysis of Resource Recovery from Waste Management Systems in a Circular Economy Perspective Key Findings from This Special Issue," Resources, MDPI, vol. 10(4), pages 1-9, April.
    11. Shvets, Nataliia & Shevtsova, Hanna & Pidorycheva, Iryna & Prokopenko, Olha & Maslosh, Olha, 2023. "Sustainable development of agriculture based on the smart specialisation approach: cases of the Central and Eastern European countries," Agricultural and Resource Economics: International Scientific E-Journal, Agricultural and Resource Economics: International Scientific E-Journal, vol. 9(1), March.
    12. Dragan, George Bogdan & Arfi, Wissal Ben & Tiberius, Victor & Ammari, Aymen & Ferasso, Marcos, 2024. "Acceptance of circular entrepreneurship: Employees’ perceptions on organizations’ transition to the circular economy," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 173(C).
    13. Zain Anwar Ali & Mahreen Zain & M. Salman Pathan & Peter Mooney, 2024. "Contributions of artificial intelligence for circular economy transition leading toward sustainability: an explorative study in agriculture and food industries of Pakistan," Environment, Development and Sustainability: A Multidisciplinary Approach to the Theory and Practice of Sustainable Development, Springer, vol. 26(8), pages 19131-19175, August.
    14. Pauline Deutz & Andrea Cecchin & Roberta Salomone, 2022. "Circular Economy and Sustainability: View from the International Sustainable Development Research Society 2020 Conference," Circular Economy and Sustainability, Springer, vol. 2(2), pages 665-668, June.
    15. Biswajit Debnath & Shiladitya Ghosh & Neelanjan Dutta, 2022. "Resource Resurgence from COVID-19 Waste via Pyrolysis: a Circular Economy Approach," Circular Economy and Sustainability, Springer, vol. 2(1), pages 211-220, March.
    16. Shaik Anwar Ahamed Nabeela Nasreen & Subramanian Sundarrajan & Syed Abdulrahim Syed Nizar & He Wei & Dong Xuecheng & Seeram Ramakrishna, 2022. "Pyrolysis, Microwave, Chemical and Biodegradation Methodology in Recycling of Plastic Waste: a Circular Economy Concept," Circular Economy and Sustainability, Springer, vol. 2(2), pages 609-632, June.

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