The circular economy is a business model consistent with the principles of sustainable development. It is not the only one that can be used in the production of fossil energy sources. At the same time, urban metabolism is a pioneering model in which every actor in the economic system (stakeholder) adopts an eco-compatible behavior. Wolman (1965), proposes Urban metabolism as a modeling and evaluation of the environmental effects of the city-activity: "The metabolic requirements of a city can be defined as the material and the goods needed to support the inhabitants, the work and the institutions ".
The concept consists of 4 pillars:
- Solid waste management (solid waste collection, separation plants, transport and infrastructure)
- Energy management
- Supply of food and nutrients
- Ecotransport
The EU Horizon 2020 programs provide for a "Green" part in any funded project. In particular, the European programs of the Societal Challenges section contain the development of specific aspects concerning the awareness of the stakeholders and above all of the citizens towards the variables of sustainability for the development of smart cities (EU, 2017).
After a preliminary literature review it is possible to notice several educational programs on sustainability but none of these is focused on the urban user or citizens.
The aim of this study was looking for some concepts of sustainability and what were the goals of sustainability for citizens.
A review of the corporate sustainability literature is undertaken to develop the sustainability framework. In particular, the authors had noted that there are not specific education programme.
In fact, we try to cover this gap. Throught questionnaires and the qualitative tools applications, the authors investigate on citizens sustainablity perception and knowledge on sustainability concepts and goals.
The sustainability framework relates basic concepts and assumptions within the ecocentric, ecological modernization and complex and multidisciplinary paradigm (Stubbs & Cocklin, 2008) . The aim of this framework is to shift the citizens thinking by engaging with sustainability from different perspectives, rather than offering one version of sustainability to them.
Finally, the results of this preliminary study and the application of specific experimental program, have contributed to identify some specific tools such as the diffusion and contamination of transversal knowledge and reduce the environmental impact of entrepreneurial and human-behavioral activities of natural persons, integration with innovative green technologies.
Keywords: sustainability, education, citizens, ecology, urban metabolism
2a. Provision, quality of and access to education
