Economic futures. The circular economy surfs a wave of change. But can it be part of changing the wave? What is implied by the slogan 'Regenerative by Design'?

Abstract

The notion unfolded here is that the circular economy as commonly understood is a good fit for some twenty-first-century economic trends if we wish to use the digital revolution, its disruptive effects on business models and product, service and system design to create resource efficiency. It looks like its surfing a wave of change and that is helpful. It is early days and it will do more, but perhaps the comparison in the title is apt: the circular economy inevitably draws from a longer tradition which is more profound; understanding feedback-rich systems is a process of shaping the wave itself. This chapter explores both current practice and the new frontiers ahead for the circular economy.