The rise of the circular economy in business and territorial strategies: the example of the Seine Axis industries in France

Public environmental policies are now based on a number of regulatory, fiscal and financial mechanisms that have evolved and diversified to meet the challenges of economic and territorial development, ecological and energy transition. This is why, in order to support the territories particularly impacted by the EET, various mechanisms have been put in place to enable economic and institutional actors to achieve the EET goals, and to avoid creating or increasing spatial disparities or inequalities in regional development. In some territories strongly impacted by EET issues, such as industrial territories, which are highly carbon-intensive and emit greenhouse gases, we observe that the circular economy (CE), and more precisely industrial and territorial ecology (ITE), are often part of the tools to meet these EET issues. By promoting the development of the circular economy and industrial and territorial ecology, we can ask ourselves to what extent these new mechanisms contribute to changing the links between companies and territories and how they impact territorial economic development? We make a comparative analysis of two mechanisms will allow us to study the way in which these tools integrate the circular economy and modify the links between communities and companies, and the economic development of the Seine axis territory: 1/« Fund for a Just Transition» is a financial instrument set up by Europe. 2nd is called "Low Carbon Industrial Zone", for projects set up by the French agency for the environment and ecological transition. The field of study chosen is the Seine axis because this territory, which is highly industrial, is particularly impacted by EET issues. We development of a multi-criteria analysis grid (funds allocated, project governance, expected objectives, themes - decarbonation, land, regulations, innovation -, management of the schemes, etc.) and conduct of interviews with industrialists benefiting from the schemes studied will help to understand how these schemes are changing the links between local authorities, companies located in the area and project leaders. We show that each of the schemes responds to specific needs and different objectives: i) real complementarity between the different financial, fiscal, and regulatory support instruments; ii) illustrate the growing place of the circular economy in the development strategies of territories, but also in the internal strategies of companies. CE, and more specifically ITE, is helping to change the links between the economic and institutional actors. This proximity has an impact, both economically and spatially, on the development of territories.