THE ROLE OF LIVING-LABS IN CITIES’ TRANSITION TO A CIRCULAR ECONOMY

Abstract

Elena Simina Lakatos E-mail: simina.lakatos@ircem.ro Doctor, Institute for Research in Circular Economy and Environment "Ernest Lupan" Cluj-Napoca, Romania https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0096-4494   Loredana Andreea Birgovan E-mail: loredana.birgovan@ircem.ro PhD student, Institute for Research in Circular Economy and Environment "Ernest Lupan" Cluj-Napoca, Romania https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2220-6486   Andrea Szilagy E-mail: andrea.szilagy@ircem.ro PhD student, Institute for Research in Circular Economy and Environment "Ernest Lupan" Cluj-Napoca, Romania https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5177-4642   Viktor Koval E-mail: victor-koval@ukr.net Professor, Southern Scientific Center of National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine and Ministry of Education and Science of Ukraine, National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine Kyiv, Ukraine https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2562-4373   Alexandru Bucur Karshowsky E-mail: alexandru.karshowsky@ircem.ro Scientific researcher, Institute for Research in Circular Economy and Environment "Ernest Lupan" Cluj-Napoca, Romania https://orcid.org/0009-0005-4364-7124   Abstract: The paper aims to emphasize the role of living-labs in cities’ transition to a circular economy (CE). The paper purpose was addressed by an analyse different types of living-labs. The circular economy concept is an umbrella concept that has grown in recent years, both globally and locally, being increasingly addressed through measures, policies and rules. CE is a sustainability paradigm that has the goal to harmonize the sustanability pillars: economic, environment and social. Currently more than half of the world's population lives in cities, while forecasts show a two-thirds increase by 2050 (70%), in addition 75% of global natural resources and 80% of global energy supply are consumed by cities, so that there is a growing need for a transition to a sustainable society. A living-lab is a system or a consortium of stakeholders, based on open innovation, which is meant to solve a problem the stakeholders face in the society. The analyse showed that the principal focus of the living-labs model is on the folowing subjects: green, smart mobility, building standards, efficient use of resources, energy conservation, social and economic equity and waste management. The studied model shown that the living-lab concept is an appropriate instrument of CE to meet the sustainable development goals.