Circular Economy and the Transition to a Sustainable Society: Integrated Assessment Methods for a New Paradigm

Mariana Oliveira, Mécia Miguel, Sven Kevin Langen, Amos Ncube, Amalia Zucaro, Gabriella Fiorentino, Renato Passaro, Remo Santagata, Nick Coleman, Benjamin H. Lowe, Sergio Ulgiati () and Andrea Genovese
Additional contact information
Mariana Oliveira: Parthenope University of Napoli
Mécia Miguel: University of Sheffield
Sven Kevin Langen: Parthenope University of Napoli
Amos Ncube: Parthenope University of Napoli
Amalia Zucaro: Portici Research Centre
Gabriella Fiorentino: Portici Research Centre
Renato Passaro: Parthenope University of Napoli
Remo Santagata: Parthenope University of Napoli
Nick Coleman: Group Sustainability HSE&Q
Benjamin H. Lowe: University of Sheffield
Sergio Ulgiati: Parthenope University of Napoli
Andrea Genovese: University of Sheffield

Circular Economy and Sustainability, 2021, vol. 1, issue 1, 99-113

Abstract: Abstract The circular economy concept has recently gained prominence in political debate and corporate discourse around the world as a pathway towards sustainability. The academic debate is characterised by several and sometimes very contrasting definitions of the concept. We claim here that the issue is not finding silver-bullet solutions that will simultaneously support population growth, increasing affluence and environmental resource regeneration. We argue that a clearer definition is needed for the circular economy concept, in terms of strategies, objectives, future states and stakeholders’ needs. Also, assessment methods need to be developed for keeping track of the transition towards a circular economy. Within this context, this paper establishes the need for a multi-stakeholder, multi-dimensional and multi-criteria approach for the evaluation of the transition towards a circular economy across different time and spatial scales, as well as multiple sustainability dimensions.

Keywords: Circular economy; Environmental accounting methods; LCA; Sustainability; Economic transition; Wellbeing (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2021
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Citations: View citations in EconPapers (9)

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DOI: 10.1007/s43615-021-00019-y

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