Lessons, narratives, and research directions for a sustainable circular economy

Leipold, Sina; Petit-Boix, Anna; Luo, Anran; Helander, Hanna; Simoens, Machteld; Ashton, Weslynne S.; Babbitt, Callie W.; Bala, Alba; Bening, Catharina R.; Birkved, Morten; Blomsma, Fenna; Boks, Casper; Boldrin, Alessio; Deutz, Pauline; Domenech, Teresa; Ferronato, Navarro; Gallego-Schmid, Alejandro; Giurco, Damien; Hobson, Kersty; Husgafvel, Roope; Isenhour, Cynthia; Kriipsalu, Mait; Masi, Donato; Mendoza, Joan Manuel F.; Milios, Leonidas; Niero, Monia; Pant, Deepak; Parajuly, Keshav; Pauliuk, Stefan; Pieroni, Marina P. P.; Richter, Jessika Luth; Saidani, Michael; Smol, Marzena; Peiró, Laura Talens; van Ewijk, Stijn; Vermeulen, Walter J. V.; Wiedenhofer, Dominik; Xue, Bing

Abstract

The current enthusiasm for the circular economy (CE) offers a unique opportunity to advance the impact of research on sustainability transitions. Diverse interpretations of CE by scholars, however, produce partly opposing assessments of its potential benefits, which can hinder progress. Here, we synthesize policy-relevant lessons and research directions for a sustainable CE and identify three narratives—optimist, reformist, and skeptical—that underpin the ambiguity in CE assessments. Based on 54 key CE scholars’ insights, we identify three research needs: the articulation and discussion of ontologically distinct CE narratives; bridging of technical, managerial, socio-economic, environmental, and political CE perspectives; and critical assessment of opportunities and limits of CE science–policy interactions. Our findings offer practical guidance for scholars to engage reflexively with the rapid expansion of CE knowledge, identify and pursue high-impact research directions, and communicate more effectively with practitioners and policymakers.

Citation

Leipold, S., Petit-Boix, A., Luo, A., Helander, H., Simoens, M., Ashton, W. S., …Xue, B. (2022). Lessons, narratives, and research directions for a sustainable circular economy. Journal of Industrial Ecology, https://doi.org/10.1111/jiec.13346

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Acceptance Date: Oct 4, 2022
• Online Publication Date: Dec 27, 2022
• Publication Date: Dec 27, 2022
• Deposit Date: Dec 29, 2022
• Publicly Available Date: Jan 3, 2023
• Journal: Journal of Industrial Ecology
• Print ISSN: 1088-1980
• Electronic ISSN: 1530-9290
• Publisher: Wiley
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/jiec.13346
• Keywords: Industrial ecology; Narratives; Policy relevance; Research agenda; Science policy; Sustainability
• Public URL: https://hull-repository.worktribe.com/output/4162983
• Additional Information: Published: 2022-12-27