This research focuses on assessing the results of achieving circular economy (CE) goals in selected European countries for the period from 2010 to 2016. The European Union has imposed ambitious goals ...regarding sustainable development (SD) and CE as a closely linked concept; so objective comparisons of the efficiency of achieving CE should be performed. Since existing research mostly focuses on measuring the SD, this paper fills the gap in literature by: focusing on the CE goals; utilizing variables which are important according to the European Commission when constructing more complex measures and by comparing the robustness of the results (which is often ignored). Although studies exist on measuring the efficiency of achieving SD goals, there is a lack of research which focuses on CE goals in a similar manner. The methodology utilized in the study is the Grey Relational Analysis as a nonparametric approach of constructing a ranking system between different alternatives. Robust results of the empirical analysis indicate regional discrepancies between the European countries. Namely, the best performing CE countries were Germany, Netherlands, Denmark, France and Italy; with the worst performance of Romania, Greece, Cyprus, Slovakia and Bulgaria. The best performing countries were shown to be those which have greater GDP p.c. (Gross Domestic Product per capita) and have better infrastructure, education and the development of R&D (research and development). Some of the countries found to be the worst-ranked have greater corruption indices in the world rankings, as well as lower government efficiency indices, with worse PISA results in schooling. These results are in line with related research and ranking systems of different world organizations which are based on a more complex approach. Discussion is provided on policy recommendations and future work within this area. Worst performing countries are advised to raise awareness on CE topics, as well as education, minimizing the dependence on raw materials, as well as increasing the withdrawal of funds from relevant financing institutions to aid in achieving CE goals.
•Dynamic rankings of achieving CE goals of 23 European countries are provided in the study.•Robustness of the results is tested via several approaches.•Detailed discussion on sources of (in)efficiency of worst and best performing countries is provided.
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GEOZS, IJS, IMTLJ, KILJ, KISLJ, NLZOH, NUK, OILJ, PNG, SAZU, SBCE, SBJE, UILJ, UL, UM, UPCLJ, UPUK, ZAGLJ, ZRSKP
As appointed in the EU Circular Economy Action Plan, cities and regions in EU member countries start accompanying their circular economy strategies by monitoring frameworks, often called Circular ...Economy Monitors (CEM). Having the task to assess the performance towards the achievement of set targets and to steer decision-making, CEMs need to rely on a multitude of statistics and datasets. Waste statistics play an important role in circular economy monitoring as they provide insights into the remaining linear part of the economy. The collection of waste statistics is mandated by the European Commission which provides general guidelines on data collection and processing. The Netherlands has one of the most detailed waste registries among the EU countries. The country’s largest metropolitan region, Amsterdam, is currently building a CEM which tracks progress over time towards the set goals, highlights which areas need improvement and estimates target feasibility. This paper uses the Amsterdam CEM as a case-study to explore how the existing system of waste registration in the Netherlands is able to support decision-making. The data is explored with the help of four queries that relate to the CEM’s goals and require data mapping to be answered. The data mapping and analysis process has revealed several limitations present in the waste data collection and a number of gaps present in current circular economy research and data analysis. At the same time, the available data already supports significant insights into the status quo of the current waste system and provides opportunities for circular economy monitoring.
•The paper puts forward the improvement of the European Waste Statistics Regulation.•Waste Statistics require more interoperability to support Circular Economy Transition.•The waste classification has limited utility in assessing circular economy strategies.•The Dutch National Waste Registry provides highly detailed geographical information.
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GEOZS, IJS, IMTLJ, KILJ, KISLJ, NLZOH, NUK, OILJ, PNG, SAZU, SBCE, SBJE, UILJ, UL, UM, UPCLJ, UPUK, ZAGLJ, ZRSKP
The Circular Economy in Europe presents an overview and a critical discussion on how circularity is conceived, imagined, and enacted in current EU policy-making. In 2013, the idea of a circular ...economy entered the stage of European policy-making in the efforts to reconcile environmental and economic policy objectives. In 2019 the European Commission declared in a press release that the Circular Economy Action Plan has been delivered. The level of circularity in the European economy, however, has remained the same. Bringing together perspectives from social sciences, environmental economics and policy analysis, The Circular Economy in Europe provides a critical analysis of policies and promises of the next panacea for growth and sustainability. The authors provide a theoretical and empirical basis to discuss how contemporary societies conceive their need to re-organise production and consumption and explores the messy assemblage of institutions, actors, waste streams, biophysical flows, policy objectives, scientific disciplines, values, expectations, promises and aspirations involved. This book is essential reading for all those interested in understanding how ideas about the circular economy emerged historically, how they gained traction and are used in policy processes, and what the practical challenges in implementing this policy are.
This paper addresses the role of institutional quality and trust in institutions for the performance in waste recycling of the EU27 countries. While survey-based works have highlighted the role of ...these factors for waste recycling attitudes and performance at the micro level, econometric analyses of recycling in Europe at country and regional levels have mostly looked into the role of waste policies, and not the role of institutional factors, in driving progresses in waste recycling. This paper tries to fill this gap through a panel econometrics analysis of recycling rates of municipal solid waste at the national level for the EU27 countries for the period 2005–2020. The proxies for institutional quality and trust in institutions, as the variables of interest, are introduced into a model that includes controls on a set of socio-economic variables, and on a set of EU waste policy variables, in particular the Waste Framework Directive (WFD) and its revision, and the first Circular Economy Action Plan of 2015 (CEAP 2015). Our results support the hypothesis that the quality of institutions can influence waste recycling performance. Moreover, our results provide evidence on the negative role of institutional trust on recycling rate at country level. Similarly, we find that the EU WFD and CEAP 2015 have been significant in driving recycling performances; the latter finding, however, is a necessary condition in appropriate institutional and socio-economic environments at the national level.
This book explores examples of the circular economy in action. Unlike other books that provide narrow perceptions of wide-ranging and highly interconnected paradigms, such as supply chains, ...recycling, businesses models and waste management, this book provides a comprehensive overview of the circular economy from various perspectives. Its unique insights into the approaches, methods and tools that enable people to make the transformation to a circular economy show how recent research, trends and attitudes have moved beyond the "call to arms" approach to a level of maturity that requires sound scientific thinking.
This paper aims to analyze the environmental impacts created as a byproduct of the growth of fast fashion companies over the past 30 years since the emergence of fast fashion and to organize the ...eco-design regulations that have developed in Europe in recent years. In addition, some fast fashion companies originated from Europe, coupled with the fact that the EU is the largest consumer market for clothing, and awareness of the environmental impact of fast fashion has been growing since around the 2010s. Against this backdrop, the United Nations and the European Commission have embarked on a full-fledged effort to resolve the issue and have shown a proactive attitude toward involvement. These efforts have culminated in the 2023 Eco-design Regulation, which is expected to have a considerable impact on the future marketing strategies of fast fashion companies. By focusing on the development of eco-design regulation in Europe, this paper raises the issue of the environmental impact caused by the fast fashion industry's push for economic rationality over the past 30 years and the consumer behavior that has become accustomed to disposable products.
The urgency of transitioning to a circular economy is by now widely recognized. Overexploitation of our earth has been convincingly evidenced globally. An optimal legal instrumentation is one of the ...prerequisites for fostering the transition to a circular economy. This article identifies and critically assesses recent developments of relevant legal tools and provides some ideas of what else could be needed for the pathway to a circular economy. Since the EU may be seen as a frontrunner in this area and is rapidly developing additional legal instruments to contribute to the transition, the EU is taken as a showcase. Besides EU law, the role of international law is discussed, as well as the question what individual states can do, within the boundaries of internal markets such as the EU. In short, there still is some room for improvement of EU law, especially concerning the establishment of concrete quantifiable general targets and the introduction of general legal principles of sustainable product design. On a global level, there is an urgent need to discuss and develop a legal framework for fostering the transition to a more circular economy.
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