Measuring Circularity in Cities: A Review of the Scholarly and Grey Literature in Search of Evidence-Based, Measurable and Actionable Indicators

Kartik Kapoor (), Nikhil Sayi Amydala, Anubhav Ambooken and Anne Scheinberg
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Kartik Kapoor: Circular and Low Carbon Project, International Solid Waste Association, 3013 AK Rotterdam, The Netherlands
Nikhil Sayi Amydala: Circular and Low Carbon Project, International Solid Waste Association, 3013 AK Rotterdam, The Netherlands
Anubhav Ambooken: Institute of Combustion and Power Plant Technology (IFK), University of Stuttgart, 70174 Stuttgart, Germany
Anne Scheinberg: Circular and Low Carbon Project, International Solid Waste Association, 3013 AK Rotterdam, The Netherlands

Sustainability, 2023, vol. 15, issue 19, 1-26

Abstract: Circularity in cities is key to Earth’s sustainable and resource-efficient future. In contrast to the broad framework of circular economy , circularity is a technical concept associated with avoiding disposal and prolonging the useful life of products and materials, and thereby extracting fewer resources. In search of metrics and indicators to measure the impacts of circular processes in cities in real time, the authors reviewed the literature on the circular economy and circularity, in search of evidence-based circularity indicators suitable for cities to use to benchmark the environmental and climate benefits of six waste prevention cascades. This paper reports on a systematic literature review using the PRISMA protocol to screen, evaluate, and review published and grey literature sources. From more than 15,000 papers screened, after application of criteria, fewer than 25 papers were found that presented evidence-based, measurable, and actionable indicators or indicator sets for benchmarking the performance of circular processes in cities. The authors concluded that the practical commitment to evidence-based tracking of circularity (in cities) is weak. Practical progress towards a circular economy and physical and economic circularity will require stakeholders to strengthen and test the very small number of indicators and indicator sets that are relevant and useful for cities and regions to use for measuring their progress towards becoming more circular, and increase evidence-based monitoring for circularity and the circular economy.

Keywords: circularity; circular economy; circular design; evidence-based indicators; environmental performance (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2023
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