Learning how to explore the sustainability implications of the circular economy

Establishing a Circular Economy (such that the maximum value is extracted from materials and waste generation minimised) is a major policy area within the European Union and elsewhere. Explicitly seen as increasing economic... [ view full abstract ]

Establishing a Circular Economy (such that the maximum value is extracted from materials and waste generation minimised) is a major policy area within the European Union and elsewhere. Explicitly seen as increasing economic competitiveness and laying a foundation for environmental employment, Circular Economy policies are designed to increase resource efficiency and decrease carbon dependency. Previous and ongoing research into the Circular Economy, however, has been largely concerned with strategies for implementation. The many different fields of activity comprising the CE (e.g., re-use, recovery, recycling, eco-design amongst others) operate with varying degrees of effectiveness in different places and for different materials. These fields of activity have not been critically analysed as an interrelated social, technical, environmental and, significantly, spatial phenomenon.  This project examines the extent to which circular economy practices are embedded in both public and private sector activity, analyses geographic variation in practice, policy drivers for circularity as well developing methodologies for assessing social and environmental impacts.   This project, funded by the EU Horizon 2020, will train 15 Early Stage Researchers (i.e., PhD students) in cutting edge systematic analysis of the process of transformation to a Circular Economy).  Following a critical realist methodology, all of the projects in this network will be informed by multi-disciplinary perspectives and interdisciplinary insight.  They employ a wide range of social science methods, including discourse and policy analysis, semi-structured interviews, observation, personal experience and questionnaires.  Some projects will employ mixed (quantitative and qualitative) methods as appropriate.  With close engagement of stakeholders from the public, private and third sector, the project will increase understanding of the implications of the circular economy for both places and companies, and furthermore contribute to the understanding of the interrelationship between companies and the locations within and through which their material flows pass.  In addition it will provide deep insight into the training requirements of researchers in the field.

Circular economy, critical realism, methods, research training